Plaything
by droogalix
Summary: Sequel to Real Time. Josef and Beth travel on to Scotland. Will Josef make Beth forget Mick and claim her for his own? Does he really want to? NC17. No question.
1. Chapter 1

Thanks to Laurelinthepale

Chapter One – Sempill Suite

"Makes a liar out of me every time," Josef thought as the plane descended into the dazzling sunshine of Edinburgh. Soon enough they were in a car with very darkly-tinted windows, heading toward the center of town. The driver turned onto Princes Street very close to Castlehill, and he watched Beth's eyes as she drank in this beautiful old part of the city.

"I can't wait to walk around here," she said, head moving back and forth, trying to catch every sight they passed.

"I can. Until after dark, at least, but please feel free to explore. I'm having someone meet us at the hotel, and I'm sure you'll feel safe with him. Ah, here we are." The car stopped before a very old, grey-stone building, just a moment from the front gates of the castle. As the driver opened the door and helped Beth out, the hotel's door opened nearly simultaneously.

"Mr. Kostan, how lovely to have you stay with us again. I am afraid that the other room you requested will not be available until tomorrow afternoon, but we have done our best to assure that you and Ms. Turner will be comfortable in our Sempill suite until then. It offers unparalleled privacy, it's on a private close." Josef was disappointed, but not surprised. Securing two rooms in this place on such short notice was a task that probably only the Queen could accomplish, and then only if she promised to behave. "I have, of course, found alternate accommodations if Ms. Turner will be inconvenienced by the arrangements."

"What's a close?" Beth asked.

"Ah, I see you haven't had time to explore Old Town yet. It's an alley, of sorts, leading away from Princes Street, sometimes down the hill to the street below, sometimes to a court yard….They were used for some, shall we say, nefarious purposes back in the fifteenth through nineteenth centuries, venues of escape, secret meeting places, lovers' trysts...now, they enchant the visitors. And ours holds a very special suite," he said proudly.

"There you have it, a history of the streets of Edinburgh," Josef said with just a hint of sarcasm. "Now, if you'll show us to the rooms, Ms. Turner will be able to make an informed decision as to their suitability. But the Armoury will be available tomorrow through Saturday?"

"Of course," the desk clerk answered, and called a bellman to show them to Sempill. They were led out a side door, down a private, stone-walled close to a building with leaded glass windows and a heavy old door.

When the door opened, Beth gasped at the sight, sending a smile across the face of the bellman, who disappeared discretely with Josef's generous tip.

"This is unbelievable." Beth walked about the emerald green room, touching the ridiculously rich fabrics, appreciating the feel of highly polished old wood, before dropping onto a chaise-longue, flinging one arm over her head dramatically as she lay back on the soft velvet.

Smiling, Josef stood watching her pleasure as she stared at the ornate ceiling. "It's fairly new, I'm given to understand. Would madam like to see the rest of the place?" He offered her his hand which she reluctantly took, wanting nothing more than to rub her cheek against the silk of the pillow and wallow in this opulence. But she supposed that if "Ms. Turner was to make an informed decision", she ought to see the rest of the place.

Josef opened the door to the bathroom, which was as large as her living room at home. Paneled walls and the largest tub she'd ever seen, a chandelier hanging right over the center, half a wall of mirrors…It was, without question, exactly what she'd expect to see in a movie that featured a castle fit for a French king. "Could you pinch me, um, really 

hard" she asked Josef playfully. When he made as if to do it, she backed away playfully, adding, "Is this you, or is this place always like this?"

"Not me, though a few hundred years ago I lived very much like this. No, this is the vision of James Thomson, who, I suspect, will sell it all in a few more years and move on. If you catch my meaning."

"Vampire?" She mouthed the words as if speaking them were some sort of breech of etiquette.

Josef laughed. "He's just a bit older than I am, but equally as eccentric. But you've already guessed that. Shall we see the bedroom before you decide whether or not you'll deign to share with me tonight?" He opened the final door, and Beth was surprised to feel a subtle twinge of excitement stir between her thighs. Blood-red silk walls, an enormous gothic bed, thick soft carpet and a cleverly positioned cheval mirror that one could certainly use for its intended purpose, but which also reflected the entire red-swathed bed in its glass. Even the provided freezer had a gothic designed exterior so as not to interfere with the décor. Not to mention a closet that was actually a dressing room, tons of candles in ornate iron candelabra, original art and eccentric trinkets. And Josef, looking perfectly at home in the center of it all.

"Yeah, okay, it's no Hilton, but I suppose I could put up with it for one night," she said, her voice huskier than she intended. Oh, yes. Here, she'd be more than thrilled to play Miss Mina to his Count Dracula.

* * *

"Josef," she said as they went back to the sitting room, where a newly-opened bottle of champagne awaited them, "I have no suitcase."

"You have no clothes," he leered, wiggling his eyebrows at her comically. "But you do have unlimited Champagne, and a very willing sugar-daddy who will happily buy you whatever you need." He poured them each a glass, and touched his glass against hers in a simple toast. "I owe you that much. I was so certain that you would choose to return to L.A. that I had your bag sent along on the plane."

She looked at him more than skeptically, "No you didn't. You had my passport."

"Busted," he smiled, trying fruitlessly to look contrite. "I _want_ to dress you. I won all this money last night, it's just burning a hole in my pocket and you know how dangerous fire is to vampires. And I am well aware that you would not willingly let me spend tons of it on you. Now you have no choice. We're shopping where I choose, since you don't know Edinburgh, and you'll never see a price tag." The phone rang, and Josef answered, "Yes, thank you." Replacing the ornate pewter receiver into its cradle of black, he turned to her and said, "Our ride, and the new Bethsitter, are both waiting for us. Let's go."

* * *

She liked her new babysitter. Well she liked looking at him, anyway. "Alistair MacLean, this is Beth Turner," Josef introduced them as they climbed into the hired car. "I warn you, she's a handful, and quite clever, too, so watch out for her." He smiled to assure her that he viewed his assessment as a compliment.

"Ah, she's a wee slip of a lass," he smiled as he shook her hand, "I think I can handle her."

Josef watched as the wheels turned in Beth's agile mind, sure she was mulling over exactly how she'd like the tall, dark highlander to handle her. Good, he'd chosen well. Anything that helped to keep her on the edge of arousal worked to his advantage. "We're just off to get her some clothes, her suitcase accidentally landed in L.A. Theoretically, this should be the easy part."

* * *

This was not going to be easy at all. The French proprietress of this exquisite store, Mirielle, seemed way too familiar with Josef, and the fact that she'd asked, however discretely, whether he'd need any "special services" and that he'd nodded firmly in response, led her to believe that part of the freshie supply would come right from this store. One stop shopping for the rich and undead.

First she was hustled into an extraordinary fitting room, done in pink and white suede, where she was stripped and measured to within an inch of her life. Three places on her upper arm? She'd always bought off the rack, and had no idea people actually wore things that fitted everywhere. She was told she could dress again, then was summarily dragged off by girl who introduced herself as Kenzie and wore a headset, who was to help her pick out undergarments suitable for the clothing Josef was choosing for her. Kenzie would listen intently, and then display a variety of delicate, beautiful underthings, and when Beth couldn't decide, another girl would carry the possibilities away, presumably for Josef's approval. In between commands, Kenzie piled on nightgowns, robes and items such as scarves, gloves and stockings. Beth's head was spinning, all of this was happening at what seemed like vampire speed, and she was barely able to impose her taste on anything.

Then she spotted something that she was sure Josef would love, and she had absolutely no intention of letting Kenzie or anyone else talk her out of it. "That," she pointed at the item, which had not been shown to her, and Kenzie raised an eyebrow, but retrieved the garment and displayed it before Beth's appraising eyes. "Wrap this now; I don't want Josef to see it. And tell Mirielle I need a raincoat." Then it was shoes, from glorious, exotic leather heels in a multitude of colors and styles to some very funky hiking boots that she couldn't wait to show off in L.A.

And it was over as suddenly as it began. Glancing at her watch, she saw that less than an hour had passed, yet she felt exhausted. If this was how the other half lived, she thought she preferred her side of the tracks.

Josef was smiling as he retrieved his credit card from the lingering caress of Mirielle's hand, and she smiled at Beth as she assured her that she would be the most elegant woman in all of Edinburgh thanks to Josef's excellent taste. Beth figured his bank account didn't hurt, either.

Josef and Alistair carried a few bags to the car, while Beth clutched her treasure in her hand. "The rest will be delivered later, after the alterations are made," Josef told her. "You really should go back for a fitting tomorrow, but I suppose that's out of the question?" Beth nodded. She was not about to go there again under any circumstances. "See?" he directed his words at Alistair, "I warned you." He turned to Beth, directing his words gently at her. "We're having a massage back at the hotel. Are you hungry? I had a bite while I shopped."

Mirielle. Why was she feeling so jealous of a meal? She'd like to put it down to exhaustion, but she suspected that it was the heightened awareness that she'd felt in that exotic bedroom and that had played at the ends of her nerves since then. A massage would be great. She just wished it would be under Josef's skilled hands, and that she'd get a happy ending.

* * *

The stage was set when they returned to Sempill. Two massage tables had been set up in the sitting room, the heavy drapes were drawn, and the relaxing smell of sandalwood wafted gently through the air. Each of them changed into a robe and then lay down. Naturally, Josef had arranged for an attractive, fit young woman for himself, and an equally fit and attractive young man for her.

Beth had never shared the massage experience before, and wasn't certain she would enjoy doing so now. But as she felt the warmed oil trickle onto her spine like a gentle rain, she relaxed and settled her face into the head rest. The sounds of a calm ocean played somewhere in the background, and she allowed herself the luxury of a wandering 

mind, fantasizing what might be if this were happening on Josef's private island, if they were on a pink-sand beach, if the cool moon and flickering torches lent a primal element and the ocean breeze like a thousand slender fingers relaxed her every pore. The strong, sure hands of her masseur only fed her fantasy, and she sank deeper into her reverie. She heard Josef utter a muffled moan, and while she knew it was his reaction to a release of tension, now his were the hands that touched her so expertly on the beach where she lay.

Her daydream was interrupted as a gentle voice asked her to turn over. As she settled on to her back, she looked over at Josef, and was aware for the first time that they were having the same experience, the two therapists working simultaneously on the same body part. As her right arm was kneaded into a limpid mass, Josef's was, too. She tried to close her eyes and concentrate on her pleasure, but she could not look away. Feeling her arm being tucked gently under the soft, white sheet, she saw Josef's disappear at the same moment. Imagining, as she saw one long, muscular leg exposed, how his cool skin must feel under the skilled hands of his masseuse. She _was_ relaxing, completely, but her breath grew shallow and more rapid, her growing excitement a thing she no longer wished to deny. She watched as Josef inhaled deeply, scenting her excitement, then look deeply into her eyes as their sheets were simultaneously pulled down low across their hips. The warm oil poured in a slow stream down the center of her body, and reflexively she arched into it slightly, Josef's eyes burning into her own.

Beth's face, in her excitement, was a deeply erotic experience for him on its own, and his body responded immediately to that stimulus. Josef saw her eyes close tightly, her body trembling now as her masseur's hands settled on the curve of her hips and ran firmly but slowly up her sides, moving in closer to each other, inch by inch, as he repeated the movement, bottom to top. Josef felt the hands of his masseuse begin circular motion around each side of his upper chest, and willed her to open her eyes as he watched her masseur make those same, circular motions around each of her breasts, moving slowly toward her nipples. He saw her eyes fly open and seek his own in a mixture of excitement and embarrassment that stirred him nearly beyond his control. Watched as finally the fingers caught her nipples, gently tugging this way and that, watched her blood rise and engorge them into taut pebbles and finally saw what he been hoping for all along; the moment she shed embarrassment and inhibition and surrendered to her pleasure. He throbbed with desire, and unashamedly led her eyes to the sheet now tented between his legs. She let out a gasp, and allowed her excitement to burn wildly from her eyes, seeking to connect with him across the few feet that held them apart.

Slowly the hands retreated, and she felt the sheet being pulled up over her body, the hands no more than an energy field hovering above her. Her breathing calmed, and her eyes closed as her head settled to the center. She was offered, and accepted, a small glass of water, but all she really desired was these two strangers out of their room so that she and Josef could find a way to release the very specific tension their ministrations had built. Moments passed, and finally she saw Josef sit up and his masseuse discretely hold his robe so that he remained unexposed, as, once again, her masseur did the same. Watched Josef move toward the table that held both his wallet and watch as the two folded their tables and prepared to leave. Saw him hand each a hundred-pound note and close the door behind them.

"Well, that took longer than expected," he said casually as he glanced at his watch. "Come on, get dressed, our dinner reservation is only twenty minutes off and they are not patient with late arrivals. I'll just grab my suit and you can use the dressing room."

Beth stared at him in disbelief. He _had_ to be kidding. She was slick and swollen and the throbbing between her thighs was nearly unbearable, and he was worried about being late for _dinner_? Oh, no, this was not going at all the way she expected, and her fate was sealed when she saw him lay a suit and shirt across the bed and heard him say, "You now have fourteen minutes to dress. Let's go." She hurried off to the dressing room and pointedly slammed the door behind her.

Josef hummed merrily to keep from laughing aloud. His own excitement was being kept in abeyance only by the grace of four hundred years of practiced determination. His true desire was to break down the door, push her over the dressing table and bury himself inside her until her cries of pleasure echoed across the western highlands. But he wanted her for always, and he wanted her wanting him for at least that long, and a delay of a few hours was a small price to pay if it bought him forever.



* * *

A single dress hung in the closet, a single set of undergarments lay in the drawer. Apparently this was her dinner outfit, a strapless Christian LaCroix dress of cream silk, the bra a translucent wisp of exquisite embroidery, the panties no more than a suggestion. Nothing more to wear but those amazingly sexy Manolos, a small, gleaming evening bag and a cream-colored, coated-silk trench coat. Beautiful things, indeed. But she'd show him.

She sat before the mirror, gazing for but a moment at the palette of colors available in the make-up case he'd so thoughtfully provided. Well, he'd chosen this Goth palace, and he'd get the whole package. Quickly she applied mascara, black liner and dark red lipstick, and then ran gel and mousse through her hair, blowing and twisting it into a tangled-looking mass around her shoulders. She had a look in mind, that of a woman she'd seen in a nineteen-thirties movie back when she was in college, intriguing and drop-dead sexy. With so little to dress in and with Josef yelling "Three minutes before I come in there and carry you out" she quickly threw her clothes on and assessed her look in the mirror. She had to admit his extraordinary taste, and decadent hedonism. Everything fit to perfection, and what she'd intended to be unusual make-up was instead perfectly in tune with the décor and her mood. Josef might even find it exciting. "I'm coming in, now," she heard him say as she grabbed her coat.

"I'm coming out, now," she answered as she squared her shoulders and opened the door.

Josef stood as she entered the room, and his jaw nearly quite literally dropped when he saw her. The dress fitted her every curve like a second skin, and she'd done her make-up in the fashion of a silent-movie femme fatale and he tried to concentrate on stock symbols and feared he'd be counting backwards from one hundred again in his effort to contain his excitement. He wanted to throw her down on that chaise and tell her every exotic thing he wanted to do to her and never, ever leave this room. Instead, he said "You look fantastic," and raised her hand as he bent slightly forward, his eyes never leaving hers. At the last moment, he turned her hand over and pressed his lips gently against the pulse at her wrist. "Shall we?" he asked as he helped her into her coat.

They walked arm in arm down the cobblestoned close, toward the door that would lead them to the Witchery, the hotel's world-famous restaurant. It was elegant in a seventeenth century way, and they were led to a table partially obscured by a large screen. A table that she couldn't help but notice had three chairs.

"Are we expecting someone else?" she asked, thinking that if he answered in the affirmative, she might take his head herself.

"Just my dinner. James runs an extremely friendly and accommodating restaurant."

The waiter took her order, then asked Josef if he'd like a "specialty drink" while the lady enjoyed her appetizer. Josef declined, preferring the Nuit-St-Georges he'd ordered for Beth.

Their dinner passed provocatively, though the ever increasing sexual tension, abetted by the exquisite and verbally appreciative "dinner" and "dessert" that Josef enjoyed, caused Beth to barely taste the excellent food, memories of the taste of Josef's skin erasing all other flavors. As Josef signed the check, an idea formed in her mind, and she expressed her desire for a short walk, after having eaten so liberally. They'd watched a light rain begin to fall, and hurried back to their room for an umbrella. Beth excused herself and eagerly prepared her surprise.

* * *

They strolled toward Edinburgh Castle, awash in light, its dark stone looming over the city, but rather than being intimidating, it felt as a giant holding those lucky enough to inhabit the city in its protective arms. Beth loved it and snuggled closer to Josef under the cover of the large umbrella he held above them. The gentle rain became a torrent, and they hurried back down the hill toward the hotel, rushing past the lobby entrance to the door that led to their private close. Josef stepped inside, juggling to hold the umbrella protectively above her head. They hurried along as fast as the narrow heels of her shoes would allow, and Josef slid the key easily into the lock, but as the door opened, felt her move away from him, out into the rain. He turned, and the sight before his eyes froze him momentarily in awe and amazement.

Beth leaned against the wet stone wall of the close, the raincoat an afterthought at her feet, wearing only the wet, now-transparent wisps of fabric that had once caressed her skin unseen beneath her dress. The lamp, whose purpose was the illumination of the narrow street, now carved her rounded curves into stark angles, each rivulet of water that caressed her skin disappearing into shadow and reappearing as a glistening beacon, a siren song to his only desire.

In more than four hundred years, he had never seen anything more beautiful, and he remembered with crystal clarity the feeling of having a heart that could swell in his chest at the sight of the woman he loved. Torn between feasting his eyes on her until the image was burned into his memory for all time, until it became his only memory, and pouring what was left of his pitiable soul into her, his decision was made when he heard his name whispered with a hint of lonely fear.

She saw the umbrella fall from his hand, and then he was inches from her, but rather than the siege-laying, uncontrolled passion she thought she'd elicit, his hands caressed each side of her face lovingly as he gently used lips and tongue to awaken every nerve in her face. Her lips, eyelids, cheekbones tingled with sensation, and when his hands slid to the back of her neck, up in to her hair, his lips met hers with an intensity that stole her breath, and her heart with it. He caressed her wet skin with a touch light as a butterfly, and as he ran his hands over her she felt something inside her surge toward him, as if her every cell were trying to fuse with his own. She pressed closer to him, felt herself lifted from the ground, then found herself inside the bathroom.

His hands gently peeled the bra and panties from her cool, damp skin. He wrapped her in a fluffy towel from the warmer by the tub before shedding his own soaking clothes. And not once, not for a moment, did his eyes leave hers, holding and growing the intense connection that had begun outside. He turned her to face the mirrored wall, and unwrapped her from the towel, eyes still holding hers. She tried to shy away, exposed as she was, but he held her chin up with one hand as the other languidly caressed every exposed inch of her. She saw the fire in his eyes, and gripped the counter in front of her, knees buckling at the sight of his intense concentration and arousal. She struggled to turn to him, but he scraped his teeth lightly down one side of her neck, and whispered, "We are going to stand here until you see what I see in this mirror." She waited for explanation, but no more words were forthcoming, just his hands, patiently exploring every inch of her, caressing lightly, firmly, tiny pinches, broad, flat strokes, and all the while his erection slid between her slick and swollen lips, the silken hardness driving her insane, and finally, she leaned her weight against him and her eyes watched him explore her, whimpering, then pleading, until she straightened, felt a power she'd never known rise within her, saw his look of pure joy as she reached her arms up to lock her hands behind his neck and undulate against him, a look of triumph in her eyes.

"That is yours, forever," he said as he finally turned her toward him, holding her bottom as she wrapped her legs around him, carrying her toward the bed, leaning on one elbow as he slid inside her, her lips crying his name as he felt her orgasm pulse around him, drawing him deeper, wanting him with her, and he abandoned himself to her, to that moment, and sunk his teeth into her neck as he heard her say, "I love you."

I really appreciate reviews, thanks to all who read this and take the time to comment.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to Laurelin

Chapter Two– The Armoury

As the helicopter ascended, Josef was extraordinarily glad to be him. Not that he wasn't pleased with himself almost every single day of his existence. On the contrary, he could probably count on both hands the days in his life when he didn't enjoy looking into the mirror and seeing himself reflected back. But today…he didn't even mind running on a couple of hours sleep, and travelling in excessively broad daylight, in a helicopter, albeit specially designed by its owner to offer one hundred percent UVA/UVB protection. It was a very tasty ride literally as well as figuratively, as Andrew had thoughtfully provided lunch. Vapid though she was, she was also B negative, one of his favorites, and her pleasant moaning as he drank heightened the affect of her rare blood type. His only annoyance was that, in all the country, no castles were available for sale. Well, two were, but one had already been re-zoned for commercial use and the other was way out in the Orkney Islands, which would be delightful as a playpen but not practical as a home base, being so far away from, well, everything. But he'd been assured that there was a manor on the shores of Loch Awe that would be perfect, and he was curious at a certain feature that had been touted in the brochure. He'd have someone research the history of the place further, because while a wine cellar in a separate building was little more than an eccentricity, a "cold room" attached to it reeked of vampire sensibility. Checking his watch, he settled himself, using his PDA to command his staff around the world, while his meal napped at his side.

Beth yawned and stretched, opening her eyes reluctantly against the morning sun streaming through the windows. Rolling onto her left side, she sought the comfort of Josef sleeping in the freezer beside her. Her heart sank when she found it empty, until she remembered he'd mentioned that he had some business to attend to this morning. Flinging the covers aside, she thought to soak herself in that swimming pool they called a bathtub, and crossed her fingers in the hope that there was something other than lingerie to wear when she was done. If not, she'd order room service, watch a movie, and strangle him when he returned. Although strangling probably would not be all that effective as a training tool for a vampire.



* * *

The helicopter landed on a broad green lawn behind a stone mansion where an anxious-looking little man awaited its arrival. Josef greeted the real estate agent, who suggested they take a walk through the expansive gardens before seeing the house. That idea flatly refused, the man led Josef to the front door.

"This is very good," Josef thought as he carefully examined the front of the house. It was probably early twentieth century, but an attempt had been made to have it look like a small eighteenth century castle. The heavy door opened into a rising foyer, and the high-ceilinged rooms were large and majestic. He liked it immediately, and when they made their way to the second floor, he was sold. The master bedroom suite was large and luxurious, and French doors led to a balcony with an encompassing view of the lake. His schooled poker face revealed nothing as he inquired about the wine cellar.

"Yes, of course. We can access it from a tunnel in the kitchen, or by the entrance just down the hill toward the lake,' the man answered as he led Josef back down the stairs toward the kitchen. He opened a door that led to stairs and a passageway that sloped down to another, metal door.

The cellar was a thing of exquisite beauty, obviously built as a place where fine wine could be savored, as well as stored. Mahogany beams mixed with the well-kept stone and the slight hum of a dehumidifier to keep the precious bottles in optimum condition, and a broad mahogany table with simple but sturdy-armed chairs as well as a wide, comfortable-looking couch led Josef to believe that many a fine bottle, and perhaps the blood of many a willing young woman, had been savored right here. At the opposite end of the room, another wooden door called to his curiosity. The agent, ever the consummate salesman, caught his glance and led him to the door. "This is the most unusual feature, and we speculate that the original owner must have either entertained or hunted a great deal to need what is essentially an extremely large freezer."

Josef stepped into a room comfortable beyond imagination. It _was_ very large and the thermometer on the wall read minus point five degrees, a perfect thirty-one degrees Fahrenheit. Spacious enough for a studio apartment, his mind raced with the possibilities. With the right furnishings, with proper care, he could enjoy a perfect bedroom, and, yes, sleep the night next to Beth, without either of them suffering discomfort. He had to have the place, and he would not be content until his name was on the deed this very day.

As they exited by the hillside door, set amidst a small fragrant garden, Josef said finally, "One million two hundred thousand, if I can sign the papers today." The agent's startled look lasted but a moment, and he was on his mobile to the sellers and then to his office in frenzy. "As well he should be," Josef thought. The offer was thirty percent above the asking price, and the commission was more than enough to have the agent do whatever was necessary to complete the deal now. Josef strode up the hill, wanting to explain what would certainly be a delay in his return to Edinburgh, possibly a long one, to Beth.

"Good morning, luscious, how's the weather?" Josef asked playfully as she answered the phone.

"Luscious? Mmm, I like that. Weather's fine, and I am happy to report that clothes have appeared and I am about to go sightseeing with Alistair. When are you coming back?" She would much rather spend the day in bed, and if he would be back soon, she wasn't going anywhere.

"Not any time soon, but I did find a perfect house, milady, in which I have no doubt you will enjoy traipsing."

She laughed, enjoying the pleasure in his voice. "Did you remember to order traipsing shoes yesterday?"

"Can you forgive my negligence?"

"I'm not sure," she added in a voice husky with desire. "Perhaps if you make proper amends when you return…"

Josef's mind flooded with the infinite possibilities of how he might beg her forgiveness, and he felt a strong stirring that he'd prefer the agent did not see. "I'll spend the day thinking of nothing other than your pleasure," he said as he rang off.

* * *

Alistair was waiting patiently in the sitting room when Beth, smiling happily, emerged from the bedroom in her brand-new, £500 jeans. She grabbed a croissant from the waiting tray, and downed half of it before gulping her juice as if she hadn't drunk in a week. She really had to remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, but it was hard to recall anything about having her blood drained other than the exquisite pleasure it brought her. She'd pay more attention, especially with the thought of Josef considering her pleasure turning over and over in her mind.

"So, what would you like to see?" Alistair asked.

_Your six-pack_, she thought, selfishly wanting to feed her own energy, but responded, "Josef said he'd be gone for awhile, what would you suggest?"

"How about Rosslyn Chapel? It's a gorgeous place and if Josef will tell us when he leaves Loch Awe, we can be back here before he is. A lovely bit of countryside, the Midlothians, as well." She didn't really care where she went, she was happy to explore anything new, and happier still when he opened the door of the vintage Jaguar convertible for her.

"Nice car," she said, settling into the comfortable leather seat, water bottle in hand.

"Isn't it? Not mine, sadly. Josef borrowed it from a friend of his and insisted that I drive it for your pleasure."

Josef thought of everything. Her every whim anticipated, her every need met. As they motored out of the city, she considered what more she could do for him and how soon she'd be able to do it.

Josef grew more impatient by the minute. He'd grant that it had been quite some time since he'd had to do any of this grunt work himself, and thought he should consider a raise for the people whose job it was to do it for him. Why could he not just write a check, sign a paper, and get back to Beth. Charles was driving Lisa to Edinburgh at that moment so that she could take command of the interior designers. He wanted that cold room perfect by Saturday, and at least the kitchen ready by then, as well. Hungry, tired and anxious to see Beth, he stood in the middle of the droning lawyer's speech and said, "Enough. Here's the check, I'll sign a power of attorney, you handle this, and I insist the deed be delivered to me tonight." A clerk immediately began drawing up a limited power, and fifteen minutes later, he was boarding the copter for the flight back to Beth.

* * *

They were already on the road when Josef's call came, and she was glad she'd have a minute to freshen up before he arrived. Ripe with anticipation, her mood took a decided turn when Mick's familiar ringtone sounded on her phone. She didn't know how she'd explain all this to him, and wasn't about to do it over the phone.

"Hi handsome, miss me yet?" she asked playfully.

"Yes," he answered so seriously that she wished she could hold him.

"Is something wrong?"

"You're thousands of miles away, for starters. This case is driving me crazy, and I don't have my ace back-up to help. And I really do miss you." She heard the regret in his voice and knew he wished he hadn't sent her here with Josef.

"I miss you too, Mick, and I'd love to tell you how much, but I'm in a car with my babysitter and I really don't think he wants to hear exactly how I'd show you how much if I were there."

"Oh, I bet he would," he said, thinking how much any man would enjoy watching Beth delivery an erotic soliloquy. "I love you, Beth."

"And I love you, Mick." she answered as she hung up. She saw the look of surprise on Alistair's face, but it was none of his business and she wasn't about to explain. She settled back and closed her eyes, allowing only the sound of the breeze as it whooshed by the car to enter her thoughts.

* * *

Josef had hoped to be alone with Beth when he arrived at the hotel, though he was tired and hungry and really needed a few hours rest. Instead, his sitting room held Lisa and Charles, and Beth was nowhere to be found. He'd deal with them, and in a much more expeditious manner than he would have with Beth.

"Sorry I couldn't get you rooms here, you're just down the street. Lisa, you need to get out to Loch Awe now and see my wine cellar and my new room, and get them both decorated by Saturday. Don't let anyone tell you they can't do it, just keep throwing money at them until they say yes. Charles, I won't be in need of your services tonight, go and enjoy yourself. Lisa, I am starving, but I promise, I'll be brief and then you're off." Josef drank deeply and quickly, and then climbed into the freezer for a much-needed nap.

* * *

The sun was setting in a spectacular display of color as Beth sipped champagne and gazed out the window. No wonder Josef had wanted her to have this suite; the view from the sitting room was amazing. To her right, the Castle loomed, to the left Old Town wound down Princes Street and straight ahead, who knew where, but far past the city to the green of the countryside. She'd spent the last couple of hours lounging and watching the people on the street below, and she was restless now. A tap at the door and a glance at the security screen told her that both Josef, and dinner, had arrived. _This vampire thing does have its drawbacks_, she thought as she stood aside while Josef, two well-dressed women and a waiter with an enormous rolling cart entered the sitting room. The women smiled and took their place on the settee, while Josef led her to the small table upon which the waiter was laying plates of silver-domed food. Sensing her discomfort, and more than understanding her desire to be alone together, he dismissed the waiter and sent the women to the bedroom. Smiling, he leaned to kiss her as he took the seat beside her.

"I missed you," he said as he ran his hand gently down her arm. Beth gave a slight quiver as he touched her, confirming that she'd missed him, too.

"Well, you're here now and you brought dinner, so I'll try to overlook the fact that you didn't come alone." She smiled, her initial possessiveness melting into acceptance. She loved two vampires, and this was the circumstance of their existence. "It all smells good, what am I having?"

"It's a theme dinner. I hope you'll like everything, but frankly I ordered this food for my pleasure, as well as yours." He poured her a glass of red wine, then uncovered the first of the smaller dishes and placed it in front of her. It was an orb of pastry, accented on one side by a squiggle of some sort of cream. While it looked beautiful, she had to ask,

"Is it a baseball theme?"

"Not even close," he laughed as he raised his own glass to touch hers. "Break it open," he said softly.

Inserting her fork, she popped out a small piece of the golden pastry and a river of thick, red soup ran from the small hole she'd made, running slowly down the side and dripping onto the soup plate. She put down her fork and drained her wineglass, held it out for a refill without uttering a word, then lifted her fork to her lips and tasted the morsel of pastry. It melted across her tongue, so tender, and emboldened her to try the suggestive contents. She pushed again through the hole she'd made, stabbing at the contents, freeing another stream of the thick juice from its container. She took up a spoon, aware of Josef's eyes watching as it approached her lips, so parted them slowly and half-closed her eyes as she tasted it. It was melt in her mouth delicious, but she had to laugh, throatily. "It's Borscht!"

"Specifically, it's puree of roasted beets and fines herbes en croute. Do you like it?"

She spooned another, larger sip, and allowed a drop to slither down her lip before catching it with the tip of her tongue. "Mmm hmm." If he wanted a sensual dining experience, she was more than happy to provide it.

Maybe this dinner wasn't such a great idea after all, he thought as he watched her consume the bloody-looking appetizer with careful appreciation. Even the way she expanded the hole through which she extracted the puree was driving what blood he had straight to his groin, and he could hardly bear to watch the way she allowed the dark-red concoction to stain her lips, coat her tongue and it was torture waiting for her to finish. And when she finally set down her fork, and raised her pristine linen napkin, she left a detailed, blood-red imprint of those perfect lips, and placed the napkin in front of him. She was magnificent, and her newly-liberated sexually was extraordinary to behold.

"Josef," she whispered, running her fingers lightly down the length of his burgeoning erection, "You look hungry, too. Won't you have something?" she asked, tossing her hair to one side, fully exposing the creamy length of her neck. He was frozen completely 

for a moment in time, entranced by both the look in her eyes and the feel of her hand caressing him. Then, she swore she felt the air stir as he moved in a blur of speed, first toward the bedroom and then toward the door as he removed used freshie number one.

"Josef, there's no need to gulp your dinner, it's not polite," she teased, loving the sensual thrall in which she held him.

"There most definitely was, my little vixen, and you know it. I promise, I'll take the time to savor dessert," he said, lifting her hand to his lips to kiss it lingeringly, sending sparks flying through her. He lifted the largest of the lids, putting the plate in front of her and the napkin across her thighs, purposely placing the lip-print down toward her lap. She gave a little shiver, and he smiled at her sensitivity.

A beautiful filet mignon, inches thick and bathed in a red wine reduction, sat before her. Lifting knife and fork, she sliced a thin, long sliver from its perfectly-crusted brown edge, swirled it the sauce languidly and raised it to her lips, pulling it from the tines with her teeth. Her eyelids fluttered as a throaty, musical "Mmmm," escaped her lips.

He was going to come right there, right in his brand-new five thousand dollar suit, with no more stimulation than watching her eat dinner. Big miscalculation on his part. He was completely out of control, something so foreign to his nature that he could not begin to process it. He had to do something, distract himself in some way. He pulled her chair closer, took the knife and fork from her startled hands, and sliced straight down the center, revealing the blood-rare interior. She couldn't like her steak well-done and unappealing, oh no, it had to be just warmed through, the blood running freely. He skillfully sliced a thin sliver and held it to her lips, which parted in desire for the morsel. This was definitely not better. He thought the routine movement, slice, swirl, feed, would be a distraction. Slice and swirl were good, but with each bite he lifted to her lips, she found a different way to tease it, and him. Just as he thought he could stand it no longer, she pushed his hand away, and said, "No more. I have to save room for dessert," all the while burning his eyes with hers. "Maybe you should have yours, as well."

_You asked for it_, he thought. He could turn a meal into a sex act far more easily than she. His dinner could moan for him, could writhe in his arms, could have an orgasm.

He fetched the freshie from the bedroom, and settled her onto his lap before removing the cover from Beth's dessert. A small, shallow bowl of fresh, ripe cherries, stems attached but carefully split and pitted, sat amid a flourish of crème Chantilly.

Beth watched as Josef whispered something into the woman's ear, and shivered when she saw him vamp as he lightly scraped his fangs against her neck, before sinking them into his carefully chosen spot. Heat flooded her, tightening her nipples and slicking her thighs, and she grabbed a cherry and popped it in her mouth, needing to divert herself from the urge to shove the woman aside and climb into his lap herself. Josef's grip tightened as the woman's moans became screams, and her body shook with her orgasm. Beth sat transfixed as Josef retracted his fangs and licked the punctures at the woman's trembling throat, stroked her arm as she quieted, then lifted her from his lap, standing to steady her as he poured a glass of water from the carafe on the table and placed it in her shaking hands. As he led her to the door, Beth picked up another cherry, this time rubbing its juicy, fleshy center across her lips, staining them with the deep red color.

Josef took his time at the door, ostensibly watching the freshie make her weakened way through the close, but in fact giving Beth time to savor what she'd seen. When he turned back to her, she was dragging a cherry through the crème, and pressing it against her lips as if resisting, then surrendering to it. As he approached her she stood, popping one last cherry into her mouth as she stepped from the table. When he was just inches from her, she put her red stained fingers to her mouth and pulled out a perfectly tied cherry stem. He'd seen it a hundred times before, it was both trite and silly, and yet when Beth did it he found it charming and erotic. She tossed it aside and moved closer, sliding her hands inside his jacket then up and over his shoulders to free him of it. She had the look of a woman on a mission, and he could not wait to discover exactly what her mission was.

She placed her hands against his chest, smiling wantonly, and pushed him, just a little, in the direction of the bedroom. Knowing she actually could not move him, she was inordinately pleased that he went along with her game, yielding backward as she began to unbutton his shirt. Unbutton, push. Unbutton; slide her hands inside his shirt, push. 

At the bedroom door she accomplished her task, and tossing the shirt aside, brushed her hardened nipples against his chest as she reached behind him and opened the door. Another push and he was moving toward the bed, and her hands were at his buckle, deftly unfastening it as he felt the backs of his thighs hit the side of the mattress. She leaned in to kiss him, but when he moved his arms to encircle her, she backed away, unbuttoning and unzipping in one movement, then sliding both pants and underwear slowly down his legs. As they reached his knees, a final push so he sat, and she kneeled between his legs, caressing his calves as she freed first one leg, then the other. She leaned forward, offering a tantalizing view of her breasts as her lips met his thigh, and he placed his hands in her hair, massaging and whispering her name as she used hands and mouth against legs. He made to pull her to her feet, but relented when he felt her resistance. She worked him slowly with lips and hands, taking as much as she could into her mouth, the sounds of his pleasure encouraging her. She moved away then, lifting the hem of her chemise and pulling it slowly over her head, arching her back to thrust her breasts toward him.

He reached for her, but she settled back on her heels after crawling closer to him. Taking him in her hands, she rubbed the smooth, hard flesh across her nipples, circling each in turn, held him against her neck, ran it slowly across her face, savoring the velvet heat before capturing the swollen head once again between her lips. His hands in her hair helped set a rhythm and depth she could accommodate, and soon he was begging her for release, but she was hardly ready for that. She continued to tease and torture him until the immediacy subsided, then redoubled her efforts, again and again, until he could hold back no longer, crying her name as she swallowed the sweet-savory taste of him. She felt herself lifted away to have his teeth sink into her flesh just above her breast and held his head to her as he urged her to the release she has just given him.

She held him close, face cradled against her chest as if she couldn't hold him long enough, as if she never wanted to let him go. He wanted to tell her that he'd never felt as he had when she taken him, that her reverence and love had made the experience unique. That the only sound he ever cared to hear again was her pleasure ringing in his ears, his name on her lips. Instead, he kissed his way up to her pliant mouth and, sliding his hand between her thighs, smiled devilishly and whispered, "My turn."

Thank readers and reviewers, it helps to know you're there.


	3. Chapter 3

My boundless gratitude for the endless patience of Laurelin the pale.

Chapter three

"If I don't stop this ridiculous humming they'll put me in the loony bin," Beth thought as she hummed a happy tune, waiting for the seemingly endless flow of water to fill the tub and trying to remember if any man had ever left her humming before. Nope, not one. Tossing in a couple of handfuls of the bubble bath that was among the myriad bottles that the basket in the bathroom offered, she began to sing as she waited. What a great morning it was, despite the clouds that grayed the city. She slid into the warm water, grateful for its soothing comfort of her aching muscles. She smiled as she laid her head against the edge, thinking that it should always be Josef's "turn". She'd liked his turn, a lot. She heard the door open, saw Josef leaning against the jamb in one the hotel's soft black robes, and smiled as she took the oversized sponge and began to wash her arm. "Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to help? You did leave me feeling awfully weak last night," she smiled.

"I like to watch. But I'll help, if you'll continue the concert. Do you take requests?" He had one; that she'd be singing when he rose every day.

"Your wish is my command," she flirted back, lifting one bubble-covered leg out of the water as she slowly ran the sponge from manicured toes to below the water line, closing her eyes and parting her lips as she lowered that leg and raised the other, sliding the sponge slowly up her thigh.

"If you insist," he said as he suddenly appeared beside her, kneeling on the floor by the tub. Taking the sponge from her slippery hands, he pulled her ankle up to his shoulder and bathed the calf and foot that lay next to his face. Placing it back into the tub, he reached for the bottle of creamy soap and squirted some onto the sponge. He took the arm closest to him and began slow, languorous circles from shoulder to fingers and back, eliciting a soft moan from her parted lips. Throwing the sponge aside, he poured the fragrant lotion into his hands, then massaged it slowly across her shoulders, before stroking his hands over her collarbone, then lathered first one breast, then the other, before moving slowly down over her stomach.

"This would be a lot more fun if you joined me," she gasped as his fingers cupped her, sliding in between slick lips that burned through the warm water. He leaned over and kissed her, lightly engaging her tongue as he slid a single finger inside her, working her clit with his thumb.

"You're not quite ready for me yet, baby," he whispered, sliding another finger to join the first, and changing the angle to amplify her pleasure.

Her back arched out of the water as she whimpered his name, flinging one leg over the side of the tub to open herself further to him, allowing his agile fingers deeper access. He allowed himself to watch her face as he felt her hips bucking harder against his hand, frantically seeking release. He loved to watch her eyes squeeze tightly shut, and then fly open as her pleasure engulfed her, body undulating in the water, her mouth singing his name as she sought his lips. She grabbed the front of his robe, using what strength she had to try to pull him in with her, to feel him in her arms. He dropped the robe, settling his back against the slope, and pulled her atop him, holding her still-bucking hips above his heavy hardness.

"Josef!" she screamed.

"Guess I'll have to try harder. You're usually calling me 'Oh, God' by now," he replied, his usually devilish half-smile softened by her plea, and his lust. It was difficult to hold his grip in the soapy water, but wriggle as she might, he managed. "What is it that you want, my love?"

He may have prevented her from impaling herself on him, but he'd neglected to restrain her arms. Reaching between them with a sly smile, she handled him just a bit roughly and said, "I want this. Now."

"Oh, okay. Now that I'm certain," he answered and lowered her, just an inch, onto his straining rod, and savored her sharp intake of breath as he stretched her with the sensitive head. He waited a moment, then lowered her another inch. A moment, another inch.

Now it was a battle, that of course she could not win, but her body's natural inclination had her pushing and straining to lower herself further, her breasts shaking and swollen, her lips gasping, "More Josef, please". Another inch and she was clawing at his shoulders, biting at his lips, begging to be filled. Another inch, before he lifted her nearly free of him, then slid her back down.

"My show," he whispered, leaning her toward him and teasing first one breast, then the other with a gentle scrapping of his fangs, a nip with his teeth, her writhing and his control of her every movement driving him finally to plunge her down atop him.

She screamed, "Oh, God," but it was not pain, and he worked her at first in a slow, then quickening pace up and down, and now that she was filled, she allowed him his total control, and lost her own to the throes of orgasm just before she felt his final surge and his teeth sink into her.

* * *

He would have held her in the gently lapping water forever, had not its warmth begun to be a truly unpleasant sensation. Sensing his discomfort, she rose and held a towel for him. Draining the tub, she said, "I still need a bath." And began refilling it, carefully regulating the water temperature, and gave a little shiver as she climbed in again. "Join me?" she asked.

She looked so sweet in her anticipation, he could not refuse. Steeling himself against the unpleasant sensation, he climbed into the tub, and a broad smile crossed his face. It was cold, explaining the shiver he'd seen. _She's an angel_, he thought as he pulled her close and gave her the tenderest of kisses. He bathed her gently, and quickly. She took the sponge, wanting to return the gentle favor, but his hand reluctantly stopped hers. "You're lips are turning blue," he said as he helped her from the tub.

Wrapping herself in the big, soft robe Josef had thoughtfully laid across the towel warmer, she left the room, brushing the tangles from her hair as she went.

His disappointment was thorough as he lifted the sponge to begin his ablutions.

"You started without me." She sounded disappointed when she returned, a glass of blood in one hand, a small bolster in the other. She gave him the glass, and knelt on the pillow by the end of the tub. Scooping water onto his head, she gently shampooed his hair, massaging his scalp until he gurgled with relaxation. Then, coating the sponge with fragrant bergamot soap, she began gently scrubbing him, watching her own movements as she ran her hand across his finely muscled chest, "accidentally" scratching at his nipples with red-tipped nails. Moving in slow circles across his abdomen, she felt her own pleasure mounting as she worked her way under the waterline, stopping when she felt him rise against her approaching hand. Rising to sit on the edge of the tub, she began at one foot, using her hands to raise the masculine scent of the soap into a lather slowly up one athletically muscled calf and thigh, followed by the other, her ministrations slow and deliberate, eliciting sighs of pleasure as she worked her way toward his now full erection, which proudly broke the surface of the water. Returning to her knees beside him, she lovingly tended it with gentle hands, slowly caressing him, watching it's every movement with eyes full of longing.

He was sure that if a meteor landed on this building right now, a fireball turning him to ash in a moment, he would die the happiest man on earth. The look of care and concentration on her face as she tended him was as, no, more, satisfying than her face in the throes of orgasm, which up to this moment was his favorite natural wonder. This was the real face of love, the one he'd been searching for, the one he had to win, the one he did not want to live without.

"I love you," she said, smiling as she kissed him and rose from her knees. She sighed, and added, "But you have work to do and Alistair will be here in half an hour, so I'll just have to ache until I see you later."

_You'll have to ache?_ He thought, smiling wistfully. He knew she was right, about all of it, he was jealous of the time she'd be away from him, and though he knew she'd love him even if he were a pauper; he certainly would not be so fond of his life if he lacked the means to fund his taste. She held up a towel and reluctantly he rose from the tub, drying himself and reciting stock symbols to quell his excitement, finally tucking into his robe as Beth sat at the vanity and began brushing her hair.

"Allow me," he said, taking the brush and running it gently through her silky hair. She relaxed into the simple pleasure, enjoying the feeling of intimacy it brought. Clearing his throat, he said, "Did I mention Andrew and Lucy's party? That we have to go to tonight?" He knew it had completely slipped his mind. "They live in a castle. There will be traipsing possibilities. I'll let you drive the Jag. I have to give it back tonight."

"It's a good thing you don't have to breathe," she laughed. She looked into his eyes, adding, "I'm happy to be wherever you are. I like parties, and Andrew was very nice. Who's Lucy?"

"His wife. It's their thirty-fifth anniversary, so I suspect a 'seventies theme. It's always a seventies theme. He turned her on their honeymoon, and she is overly attached to that decade. We'll have to leave about seven o'clock; dinner's at nine."

"Should I have the restaurant pack me a meal, or will there be something other than freshies at the table?" She teased.

"You mean other than you? Of course they'll feed my freshie; you need your strength to keep up with me," he laughed, feigning fear as she glared at him menacingly. "Just make sure Alistair doesn't wear you out this afternoon."

"You wear me out," she grinned. "Go. Unless you'd like to watch me dress?"

He groaned, but kissed her quickly and hurried from the room, her laughter chasing behind him.

* * *

Josef spent the better part of the day multi-tasking his way through the set-up Lisa had thoughtfully provided before she'd left for Loch Awe. Three displays, his headset and PDA were all humming, all day. He was very grateful that he'd kept the Sempill suite; he could remain undisturbed while he worked.

_Who am I kidding_? He asked himself as he called for Charles. His concentration was not what it should be, he still had to get the happy couple a present and he wondered if Beth were having a good time. _Of course she is, fool_, she always had a good time discovering something new. He just wished he were there to share it all with her.

* * *

Alistair led her from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, stopping along the way to examine the many closes she came upon, wishing to explore each unique close individually, with Josef by her side. She settled for treating herself to a little kilt, choosing the Clan Gunn ancient tartan because she liked the colors. A little lunch, more walking, Edinburgh was a beautiful city and she was angry with herself that she couldn't enjoy it more thoroughly, wanting to point out this statue or that finial to Josef, maybe hear something about life a hundred or more years ago that Alistair could never know. She saw a dress in a charity shop that she thought was perfect for their party, and some boots she just liked. A tie for Josef that stood out from the crowd in a trendy boutique, and she was ready for a nap, wanting plenty of time to feel perfect for Josef.

* * *

It was six forty-five when Beth made her way down the close, heard music which grew louder as she approached the suite. She knocked at the door, suspecting that, vampire hearing or not, there was no way he would hear her tapping above David Bowie singing "Golden Years." She guessed it was mood music for the upcoming party and opened the door to let herself in. There was Josef, handsome as he possibly could be in white shantung pants fit snugly across his narrow hips and a blue shirt the exact color of his eyes closely fitting his lean torso. But the surprise lay in the graceful movement of his long legs, dancing around as he sang along. So he could translate his agile movements to the vertical position. They were dancing together tonight, no excuses.

He spun around, his surprise not that she was there; he'd scented her the moment she came through the door, but at how she looked. Her hair hung perfectly straight, and she wore a soft, faded flower print sundress with the most slender of straps, her round breasts barely caressed by each tiny triangular cover, draping to a stop inches above her knees, and heavy, tall, cream-colored cowboy boots. She looked like a Swedish stewardess form a nineteen sixties movie, and his body reacted accordingly. A totally different Beth than he'd ever seen, and he thought about how uncanny it was that her dress would be in perfect sync with the trinket he'd got her earlier.

"You're beautiful," he said as he planted a kiss on her shining pink lips. "And I have a present for you."

"Well great minds do think alike, because I have one for you, too," she replied, searching her large purse.

"Me first!" he said, grinning playfully. She gave him the tastefully wrapped box, and he opened it with glee. "Wow, this is beautiful," he said, wishing he didn't know that this particular tie had probably cost her a week's salary. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she beamed, happy to have pleased him.

"Your turn," he said, dragging her toward a mirror and reaching in his pocket. "Hold your hair up," he asked as he clasped a most unusual trinket around her neck.

"Josef, this is beautiful," she said as she fingered the long triangle of soft dusky pink suede, accented by diamonds randomly set across its supple, moving surface. She turned and threw herself at him, kissing him warmly. "And it's perfect with this outfit. I love it."

"You can thank me later," he leered. He'd tell her later he'd been attracted to it immediately because its color was a perfect match for her enticing nipples. For now, grabbing his jacket, he added "Let's go."

* * *

They drove northeast into the midlands, the city's landscape giving way to verdant countryside, the highway narrowing to a bucolic lane. Although there was still too much light for the sleek convertible's top to be down, she'd tied her hair into a scarf to prevent its flying all over the car, and the cool air rushing by as she watched Josef masterfully negotiate the narrow roads at breakneck speed conspired to make her wish she'd command some more of that careful attention. Aiming to divert him, she raised her left leg on to the top of the door, letting the air circulate freely around her. "This air feels great," she said, lazily running her hand from knee to thigh, pressing lightly with her fingernails into the smooth, soft skin.

Josef caught the movement in his peripheral vision, and wondered how far she'd push the envelope while illuminated by the fading daylight. He was also curious as to how she knew the words to nearly every song on his IPod's "Glam" mix, considering all of it had happened before she was born and most of it was not the stuff usually played on the radio. He hoped he'd remember to ask about that later. As he watched her slide her nimble fingers across her hardening nipples, he hoped he remembered his name later.

She squirmed slightly in the seat, settling further down and leaning her back slightly against the door, positioning herself so as to be facing him more directly. Laying her head back, she closed her eyes as she began stroking herself through the thin, soft dress, allowing the roar of the motor and the rush of cool evening air lend her courage. She'd never done anything remotely like this before, and she said a silently prayer that Josef would approve.

He wanted to give her instruction, or reach over and pull the dress up around her waist, but, while her eyes were closed, her face showed tension and for the first time, there was a note of fear scenting the car. It wasn't the speeding vehicle, her excitement at that had permeated the air almost as soon as they'd left the city. He was raking his over-stimulated mind for an answer, when he noticed the tentative movement of her hand under her dress. A thought came to mind, but no, it couldn't be…."Beth?"

She looked at him, waiting, all movement stopped.

"Stop that right now. If I drive us into a ditch, I'll make _you_ explain to Andrew why I hurt his baby." She grinned and pulled the hem of her dress up just high enough to expose her sexy little panties and an inch of her taut stomach. "Do humans lose their hearing at high speeds? Stop."

He hoped that his words would drive his contrary little minx to explore herself further, and it seemed to be working as he saw her toy with the thin strings that formed the delicate bows at the sides of her panties. He wanted nothing more at the moment than to be able to lean over and pull those chaste little bows open with his teeth, but Andrew really would stake him if he damaged this car. Though it might be worth it, he could smell her heat and see the dampness darkening the soft strip of fabric that was obstructing the view of his most favorite sight.

She slid a finger inside her panties, stroking herself in earnest now, heard her breath quicken against the wind, and she reached over to run a hand up his burgeoning length, so clearly visible in those white pants. He followed his natural inclination, surging his length into her wanting hand and then pulled back sharply as he'd swerved the car nearly all the way across the narrow country road.

This was a dangerous game, and he had to gain control. "No more," he said, his words unconvincing even to him, so he added, "or I swear, I will pull over this car and spank you." Big mistake. She began rubbing herself more quickly, rocking her hips against the seat, and her hand gripped him more firmly, stroking the length of him with serious intent. Enough, he thought.

She saw his eyes darting about and then found herself held back against the seat by his strong arm as he slammed the car to a stop on a grassy flat by the side of the road. She heard the sound of the convertible's top retracting, and before she could process what was happening, she found herself pulled from her seat, and bent across the opened window with the hem of her dress around her neck. One hand held her firmly in place; with the other, he gave her a firm slap on her exposed, round bottom.

The slight sting of his palm made her yelp in protest, but before she could speak he was stroking the length of her wet folds with gentle fingers, and all thoughts of protest were forgotten. She heard the thwack, felt the sensation of his hand against her flesh again, slightly harder, but again, before she could utter a word of protest, the sharp slap was followed this time by the welcome penetration of two fingers, filling her aching emptiness.

He brought his hand down again, just a little harder, the sight of her sweet behind turning pink driving him mad with desire, and as he slid his fingers inside her again, his desire redoubled as he realized her sweet juices were flowing more freely, that she was arching her back up, twisting her head to watch him deliver the next blow. He obliged her desire as he moved the hand that was no longer needed for restraint up and around to gently squeeze her breasts, pinching her straining nipples firmly. As he rained a final blow against her reddening bottom, the smell of her blood rising to the surface, the sight and feel of her willing submission robbed him of his well-practiced control, and loosing himself with lightening speed, he slammed into her, thrumming her clit with one hand as he pressed her back against him. In moments she was screaming her orgasm into the sunset, and she felt him surge just a moment later, his teeth sinking in as carefully and sensually as ever, sending another wave crashing over her. He pulled away immediately, the feel of his skin replaced by a cooling breeze, and then his lips and hands, gently kissing and stroking her sensitive bottom until it was soothed. Josef straightened, and as she stood, she saw him waving at a passing car, a big silly post-orgasmic grin on his face. Pushing at him and blushing furiously, she rearranged her dress as she tried to open the door and hurry inside.

He gathered her against him, dropping light soft kisses across her blood-warmed face until she relaxed against him once more. "Don't you dare feel ashamed, unless it's of your blatant control over me. How many times do you think I've had to pull over a car like that?" He searched her eyes, hoping he'd see she knew the answer. "No guesses? Beth, the answer is zero times, before tonight. I am hopelessly, thoroughly in love with you."

She kissed him deeply, then, returning his love through her pliant lips, then said, "I have a confession. I have zero times done what I just did in that car. And out of it. I guess I'm pretty thoroughly in love with you, too."

As it was each time he heard those words, he was filled with a peace he hadn't known in centuries, if ever. Happiness infused him as he opened the door for her, reluctantly letting her go, but certain she would always be held inside his very soul.

I like reviews. Thanks to those who take the time.


	4. Chapter 4

All gratitude to Laurelinthepale, as always

Chapter four

Torches illuminated the seemingly endless driveway that led to the castle that was home to Andrew and Lucy. Beth eyes widened in excitement as the dark, curving stone steps and the tall, broad front door came into view, the lights of the castle blazing from every window. A group of people stood in casual conversation on a broad cobbled landing the base of the stairs. Josef pulled the Jaguar into the valet line and patted it goodbye as he helped Beth out. Immediately, a tall, striking brunette ran across the stones as fast as her silver platform boots would carry her, and threw herself on Josef, wrapping her hot-pants clad crotch right against his and kissing his face as if she'd be happy to swallow it whole.

"Josef, I am so happy to see you," she said as she clung to him. "Thank you for our present, wait until you see where I've hung it."

Beth began searching the ground for a weapon.

Andrew strode toward them quickly. Josef was trying to untangle himself, but the woman held on tenaciously, now flattened against his chest and hugging him tightly.

"Hi Andrew, how's it going," Josef smiled innocently over the woman's shoulder.

"Well, you're wearing my wife and there are grass stains on my precious tires. I've been better," he said as seriously as he could with his eyes twinkling and his hand outstretched in friendship. "Since you're busy with Lucy, might I pass the evening with your lovely Beth?" he asked as he winked at her and draped an arm across her shoulder, tucking her closely to his side.

Lucy released Josef immediately, and Josef was next to Beth in the blink of an eye.

Andrew laughed heartily and with immense good humor as he released Beth. "You've got it bad, haven't you, lad?"

"That's putting it mildly, Andrew. I-"

He was cut off by Lucy's quick words. "Oh, so this is the one you were telling me about, darling. Well, I'm Lucy, welcome dear, we have got to talk. Come with me, you have no champagne, come see my new painting, Josef is too generous, that's an interesting neckpiece," she chatted as she took Beth's arm and urged her up the steps and inside.

Josef and Andrew stood smiling after their women. "Andrew, I thought I had, but in all these centuries I've never felt like this."

"Aye, I ken the feeling. What about St. John? I thought they were…"

"They are. It's her choice. I can only hope that it's me."

"You're a very persuasive man, Josef. Come on inside, let's see what ball of yarn the kittens have tangled themselves in."

* * *

Beth really wanted to live in a castle. She'd concluded as much about halfway through her tour of the first floor, and shared as much with the laughing Lucy. As they climbed the broad staircase to the second floor, Lucy chatting amiably about the castle's history, Beth realized that fate was offering an opportunity she might never have again, not while she was human. As she admired her hosts' enormous bedchamber, she seized her chance.

"Lucy, I know this is none of my business, but how did you and Andrew meet?"

"We met at a concert in nineteen seventy-one. I was twenty-five, a starving painter and full-time scene stealer, and he owned what was, at the time, _the_ _only_ place to hear music and be seen. For me, it was love at first sight. And I spent three months trying to get him to notice me, or so I thought. But it turned out he'd felt the same way, but he was a vampire…." Lucy's eyes relived the pain of rejection, briefly, before brightening once again. "Anyway, we got past that, and a couple of years later, married."

"So when did you know you wanted to be one, too?"

"It's a practical matter, my dear. If you're going to love a vampire, you have to make the decision. Humans just can't take the physical toll over time. Do you know how long it takes for your body to replace the lost blood?"

"I'm embarrassed to say I don't. And I've only been sleeping with vampires for about a week, and so far, I feel pretty good. Except that I can't stop eating everything in sight."

Lucy laughed. "Oh, I remember that. Don't worry, the workout they give you burns it right off. The other thing is, I couldn't stand knowing that Andrew was always holding something back. He had to, or he would have killed me. I couldn't see making the man I love do that for forty or fifty years while I grew older and called upon him for even further restraint. So having him turn me was my wedding gift to him. Is this about Josef? Are you in love with him?"

Beth nodded wistfully. "I am in love with him. But it's not just about Josef. I'm afraid that I'll be so different, if I'm turned, that he might not care for me at all."

"It is different, there's no denying it, I mean, you're _dead, _which naturally changes everything. But I can honestly say that in my case, once I tasted the first drop of his blood on my tongue…I was in love with him when we married, but I felt even closer to him. And we are closer; he doesn't have to contain himself around me. Now let me ask you something. Are you satisfied with the sex?"

Beth was so happy to have someone to talk to about this. "Lucy, I woke up humming," she laughed. "It's amazing, he's so intense, it's the best sex I've ever had. No, it's the best I've even imagined."

Lucy smiled, "Well, imagine if he didn't have to worry about breaking your bones, or draining you when he came. Imagine how it would be if he never had to _think_ while he was making love to you, if all that was on his mind was how he loved you. And he will love you, maybe more than he does now, after he's turned you. He'll be free to love you as he yearns to, body, blood and soul. And that aside from the fact that every vampire has a very intense relationship with their sire."

Beth was breathless, her mind reeling with the possibilities. She could not imagine feeling closer to anyone; she could not believe that there could be more fulfilling sex. "Thanks Lucy, I really do appreciate your sharing this with me. It gives me a lot to think about."

"Josef is a very good man. If you're even thinking about breaking his heart, do it sooner than later. He's far more fragile than he lets on, and I think he loves you very much. Come on. If we're up here five minutes longer, Andrew and Josef are going to demand that they be allowed to watch."

* * *

Josef was pleased to see Lucy and Beth getting on so well, and while he neither sought nor cared about his friends' approval, he could see they'd admired her complete ease at dinner as the three of them fed on a rotating menu of freshies while Beth enthusiastically consumed each of her courses as it was presented. He couldn't stop himself fussing over her, refilling her water glass so she's stay properly hydrated, suggesting she have just a bit more of the venison and greens so her iron intake would be sufficient and withstood Andrew's gentle chiding at his careful service.

When dinner ended, they adjourned to the conservatory, where a DJ with an enormous sound system played Glam to a crowd of happy revelers. The French doors along one end were open to the fieldstone terrace, letting in the cool night air and out the over-heated dancers. It was to that terrace that Josef and Andrew, preferring the night air, gravitated, taking seats on the large, curved banquette that graced one corner, just outside the door. People came and went, chatting mostly with Andrew, but both men's attention wandered only briefly from the sight of their women, dancing together with drunken enthusiasm. "I knew those two would hit it off," Josef said swallowing a draft of the excellent champagne.

"Me too, and a good thing it is. Lucy needs a new playmate, and Loch Awe is but a half-hour away in the 'copter."

"If Beth decides she wants to live here. If I decide to live here. If she decides it's me she wants," he added with a sigh.

Andrew laughed. "Well if the scent in my car is any indication, I'd say you're safe on that point."

Josef nodded. "_That_ she definitely wants. To live with me, to love me…." his words trailed off as the ladies threw themselves on the couch, panting and taking deep swallows of the available liquids. Andrew called for blood as Josef forced copious amounts of water on Beth.

"I don't remember these two being such grandmothers, do you?" Lucy asked as she shot her husband a loving smile.

"I do. Eat your protein, hydrate, I hear it all day long," Beth smiled as she leaned against Josef.

"You're sweating on my new suit," Josef teased as he pulled her closer, loving the smell of her blood so close to the surface of her flushed skin.

"Then let's go someplace where you can take it off," Beth whispered seductively.

Josef felt the all too familiar stirring in his loins, as if her voice were a physical caress. "Young Americans" came up in the DJ's rotation, and Josef said, "Come on, Lucy, time to dance." Taking her hand, he led her to the spot on the terrace reserved for dancing, and Beth settled back, surprised again at his grace and beauty as he moved. Unconsciously, she sang along.

"And how would a lady your age know this song?" Andrew asked sincerely.

"I love David Bowie. My mom was all-glam, all the time. I grew up with him, Gary Glitter, Roxy Music, T Rex, you name the pretty boy, my mom loved them, and I did too. 'Let's Dance' is one of my favorites. I hope they play it."

"He'll play it," Andrew said, signaling a waiter to do his bidding. "Do You Want To Touch' came on, and Josef rejoined Andrew while Lucy and Beth danced wildly and sang along at the tops of their off-key but sincere lungs. As Beth moved to dance in front of one of the lights studding the terrace, revealing every curve of her body through the thin fabric of her dress, both men reached for the carafe of blood on the table before them, laughing.

"She's quite a beautiful woman," Andrew smiled.

"That she is. And I simply cannot wait to see her blush when I tell her that everyone at your party knows she neglected to put her panties back on."

"You wouldn't. She'll be mortified."

"I will," he said, a devilish smile spreading across his face.

"Go dance with your woman, she tells me she likes this song," Andrew said as the opening strains of 'Let's Dance' filled the air.

* * *

Josef was up in an instant, sliding his thigh between her legs as he took her in his arms. He gazed at her intently as he led her around, subtly, gracefully rocking her against his thigh, loving the way her body surely followed his rhythm in a dance she could not possibly have done before, as foreign as a minuet to a woman her age. And he danced her down the steps, along the path toward the garden, wanting to be alone in this dance under the serious moonlight. The song ended, and he regarded her excited face, illuminated by the full moon, with the all love he felt for her. They strolled down the path, following the low stone wall, toward the gardens, as the sounds from the party dimmed to a whisper. She stopped suddenly, in the quiet, under the clear night sky and with the smell of heather and green enchanting her senses, reached her mouth up to kiss him. A sudden, booming sound startled her away, and then the night exploded into a thousand colors as a fireworks display began.

He lifted her onto the wall, then encircled her in his arms as he sat beside her, watching the colors splinter against the starlit sky. While not wishing to intrude on her obvious pleasure, he was overwhelmed by the thought of seeing her smooth flesh illuminated by the flashing, colored lights, and told her so. Her face awash in moonlight, she slid from the wall and held her arms above her head, smiling at the blatant surprise that shocked him into temporary immobility. After the briefest of moments, he tugged the dress over her head, carefully laying it across the wall, then spread his jacket over the unforgiving stones and lifted her back upon the wall.

"Beth," he whispered her name as his lips met hers in a kiss so intense she momentarily forgot where she was. He planted kisses everywhere he perceived a flash of light across her flesh, a breast, a hip, the soft underside of her arm, and all she could do was whimper and stroke his swiftly moving head and finally, beg him to fill her, to drink her, to fly her to those lights in the sky. He slid her to the edge of the wall, unzipped and filled her, the moan wrenched from his lips so loud he was grateful for the sounds of explosions that filled the night air. He rocked her gently, positioning himself so as to stimulate her most sensitive flesh, and locked his eyes onto hers as he felt her tension build to the edge of release. He felt himself surge to meet her and drove deeply inside her as he heard her scream, felt deep contractions hold him as he burst inside her, flooding her as his teeth sank into her tender flesh, the thunderous sounds as light filled the night sky no match for the thunder of her light illuminating his life.

The sky quieted, and once again the moonlight was their sole companion. He slid her dress over her warm body as deftly as he'd revealed her to his wanting eyes, and lay his jacket across her shoulders as they made their way slowly back toward the house.

"Enjoy the fireworks?" A grinning Lucy asked as they climbed the steps to the terrace.

"They were wonderful," Beth answered, unashamed and unwilling to hide the fresh bite marks she bore at the base of her throat. She loved him, and proudly wore the brand of his love for her. "Thank you so much for inviting me."

"Why don't you two stay the night?" Lucy asked, adding "There's plenty of room for the two of you and Charles, of course."

"Lucy,' Josef said, embracing her warmly, "We'll have to take a rain check. But Beth is dying to traipse around a castle, so I'll hold you to it."

"You're welcome in our home anytime, both of you," Andrew added warmly as the four walked toward Charles in the waiting car. "But you can't borrow the Jag again unless you promise to have her washed before she rolls tread in my driveway."

"Deal," Josef said as they climbed into the limo. As they rode into the night, Beth settled her head against his chest, and fell to sleep in but a moment. He savored the relaxed face, with its hint of her satisfied smile that he loved so deeply, wondering if after surviving four centuries, there would be reason to wake another day if she chose to leave him alone.

Thanks to all who've read/reviewed. Sincerely, this has been fun.


	5. Chapter 5

You all know who my kudos go to, and so does she. Thanks.

Chapter 5

Beth started awake, blinking against the sunlight streaming into her bleary eyes. As she reached for the clock, one tired eye trying to focus on the time, she was disappointed to find the freezer beside her bed empty. Josef must be sleeping in the other suite, sad, as she'd hoped that after all that had happened last night…It was nothing to get weepy about, certainly. _PMS_, she thought, wondering exactly how quickly room service could bring coffee and a huge breakfast. She was going to have to watch her weight if she continued with these two, she was totally unused to waking up feeling like she hadn't eaten for a week, then proceeding to happily gorge as if that were true. Josef had all those freshies and they were all slim, so maybe it wasn't a problem. She hated worrying on an empty stomach, so she dialed the restaurant and placed her order.

* * *

As per his instructions, Josef was roused from his much-needed rest at eleven. In the bright, sunlit morning. He was alone and kicking himself that he'd carried his sleeping beauty up to her suite, thinking she probably would prefer waking in a nice calm bed instead of Kostan Central, which this formerly very nice suite now resembled. He'd better get used to being alone again, and fast, she was on her way back to L.A. tomorrow and he'd bet the farm that gray, rainy weather, inside and out, would follow her absence.

* * *

Her ringing phone interrupted her in the middle of her second egg. Glancing at the display, she smiled.

"Hi Mick, guess who?" Beth asked playfully.

"Sounds like Beth. What are you up to?"

"Breakfast. Apparently I can't stop eating. Will you still love me if I waddle off the plane tomorrow?"

"Baby, I'll love you if you have "Goodyear" written on your side and a basket with passengers underneath you." She laughed, the sound so sweet he imagined he heard her smile.

"Tomorrow I'll be home, and you can give me a nice, hard workout. Deal?" she asked seductively.

He cleared his throat. "Deal. I was just going to bed, and I wanted to hear your voice."

"Well I'm glad you called. I miss you Mick, and I can't wait to see you. You'll meet me at the airport, right?"

"Absolutely." He heard her munching, and added, "And I'll bring a whole sack of What-a-Burgers. Or is it fish tacos you crave?"

"What I crave is you, and tomorrow I'll be able to show you just how much. On second thought, the burgers sound good. But maybe you should bring a sack of freshies, too. I think you're going to need them." She rang off, hoping she wouldn't lose either of them when she told them what she wanted from all this.

She certainly had a lot to tell Josef. Maybe he assumed she'd just go back to Mick and live in his white-picket-fence fantasy. Josef hadn't asked her for anything, hadn't even asked her to stay on with him. Maybe he thought she'd just leave him, that she'd let him tell himself that she was nothing more than a freshie, that she'd be done with him twenty-four hours from now. Josef needed to know exactly how she wanted him, whether Mick was in the picture or not.

* * *

Josef stood in the outer room, wishing he'd knocked, wishing that he hadn't heard Beth's whispered words of love to Mick. She had been with him, body and soul last night, had said she loved him, and he'd believed her. No matter what she felt for Mick, he would fight every minute until she was on that plane to have her with him always.

"Josef!" she smiled, swallowing the last of her tomato juice, "I didn't hear you come in."

"It's my wily vampire stealth. Not to mention the crunchy toast you seemed to be enjoying."

"And my conversation with Mick," she added, searching his eyes for some reaction. She found none.

"How is our boy this morning?"

"He was just hitting the freezer, it's night time in L.A. Josef, I know you had to have heard…"

"That you're worried about getting fat?" He took her in his arms and gave her a good hard squeeze. "I promise to help you work it off. And keep in mind, I wasn't born in nineteen- eighty. I own more than one Rubens, and it is not because I like his signature."

"That's not what I meant." He released her so she could see his eyes.

"I know that. I also know you love Mick. You don't have to explain yourself, and I don't expect you can change your heart. I believe that you love me and I am more than happy with the pleasure of your company, right now. And Charles is waiting. Need any help dressing?"

"Not if you don't want to keep Charles waiting longer."

* * *

When Beth asked Charles if they could stop at the Boots on their way out of town, Josef knew exactly why. He'd scented it on her earlier, and the simple fact of her female existence had sent his desire into overdrive. For a vampire, a menstruating woman was just about the most perfect creature on earth. His new house, his new, hopefully human friendly cold room, and Beth at his favorite point in her monthly cycle, he just wasn't sure life could get better than this.

She snuggled against Josef, trying to appreciate the verdant beauty of the Scottish countryside, the smell of grass and trees and heather and clean, green air. But seething under the surface, stealing the simple pleasure, was her anger that her hot plans had turned to ashes just before they'd come to fruition. She'd packed the special piece of lingerie she'd chosen just for him, along with the kilt that just happened to match it perfectly, and she'd planned to seduce him and tell him what she hoped their future would be…And now she was cramping and bloated and depressed and she wouldn't fit in her sexy little nothing, she would not be able to seduce Josef, and she'd wouldn't take Josef's answer back to L.A. with her. Life sucked, and not in the way she'd come to enjoy so well.

"What's the matter sweetheart?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.

"Nothing," she answered, smiling hollowly at him.

Sensing that it was not the time to press the issue, he instead leaned against the door, encouraging her to stretch out across the seat, and began to gently massage her shoulders and arms. She tensed at first, and then slowly relaxed, until finally he heard the even breathing that signaled her untroubled sleep. Holding her tightly against him, he savored the feel of her body, hoping this day would not be the last time he'd be privileged to do so.

* * *

Lisa waited at the top of the driveway, waving as the car approached the estate at Loch Awe. _Every little thing ran just so in Josef's world, and wasn't that lovely? Buy a house, someone else furnishes it. A car, someone else drives it. Need a meal? Dial 1-800-freshie_. Beth's thoughts were dark as they entered the sparsely-furnished estate, each step echoing the emptiness her heart felt. The past few days were…a joke, an aberration; Josef was way out of her league. She sank into the lone, weathered club chair in what was obviously the library, and listened for the quiet when the animated voices faded as Josef and Lisa went upstairs. _Cowboy-up, Turner_, she thought, wiping a tear from her cheek. _Twenty-four hours from now, you'll be on the plane carrying you back to real life, eight thousand miles away from Josef_.

* * *

"Where's Beth? Josef asked, moments after they'd entered the bedroom that he'd meant to be hers. A large airy room, tall, wide windows with a clear view of the loch from almost everywhere, and Lisa had managed to have it decorated with elegant yet feminine appointments, French linens, suede fainting couch, deep soft silk carpets…and Beth was nowhere to be found.

"I think she stayed behind in the library, boss. She looked tired."

"I'll be right back," he said, disappearing before her eyes.

* * *

He barely saw her, deeply curled as she was in the high-backed chair that faced the window in the empty library. "Beth, what's the matter, sweetheart, are you tired?"

_Tired of fooling myself_. "I'm alright," she answered wearily. "Maybe a little tired."

Josef sat on the ottoman at her feet, seeing the streak of tears on her cheek. "What's wrong?" he asked, following the rivulet with one gentle finger.

"Nothing, I just let my mind wander for a bit. But I'm much clearer now."

"I'm sorry, Beth, but if I don't have a clue about what you're thinking, it's difficult to know whether I need the white stallion, or just the sword and shield." She smiled at him, wanting to hug him, but simply could not. "I love you. If something's wrong with you, it's wrong with me, too. Whatever it is, we'll work it out. But you really do need to tell me what has you so upset."

"It's nothing, Josef." She stood, offering him her hand. "Come show me the rest of the place."

She was shutting him out, completely, and he sensed that nothing he said at this moment would change that. "Let me get this straight. No horse, no shield and no sword for me. But can I still have the damsel?" he asked, lifting her into his arms and carrying her up the stairs. Opening the door to her bedroom, he watched her face as she stepped inside.

"Nice bedroom, Josef," she said as he set her down. She went to the windows, soaking in the breathtaking view. "But it's a little…Josef, are you gay?" She laughed.

"Not since that thing with Byron, well, except when Mick-"

"You and Mick?" she asked eyes wide with surprise.

"What, you don't think he's a hunk?" She was staring at him, clearly trying to process what she'd heard. He grabbed her up in his arms again, depositing her unceremoniously in the center of the bed and lay atop her. "Beth, I'm joking. You know Mick is much too hairy for me." He smiled at her, but didn't move. "This room is yours."

"But it's the master bedroom."

"It was. Now it belongs to the mistress of the house." He waited for her reaction, gazing into her eyes.

She started to cry, pushing at him, but he did not move. "Josef." His name was but a whisper. "Please, let me up." He rose to sit beside her, and she took his hand, her lips trembling. "I'm not good enough for this, Josef. You're way out of my league. I've met your Duchess, Lady Lucy and even Yalda, goddess of all beings, bitch though she may be. I'm just plain old Beth Turner. Tomorrow I'll leave, and you can find a fitting mistress for this beautiful house." She lingered on his eyes, which told her nothing, forcing her to look away. And then she heard the loudest, most sincere laughter she'd ever heard from him. "You're _laughing_ at me? I-"

"Beth, I think it is abundantly clear that I adore you. You are the love of my life, and if anyone's out of his league it's me. Now, if my Beth is still in there somewhere, can I have her back sometime soon? I've only got about twenty hours before she leaves and I was hoping for some quality time with her."

She heard his words with her heart. "Oh, Josef," she said, throwing her arms around him. "Why do you put up with me? I'm so sorry. Can you forgive me? Our last day together and I turn into a lunatic."

"Hey, I've been having female trouble for four hundred years. Today it's your turn. Come on, I'll buy you a glass of wine."

* * *

They made their way to the cellar through the tunnel from the kitchen. While not fully stocked, Lisa having been unwilling to trust just one merchant with the task, it held a fine selection of rare and exquisite vintages, and Josef chose a thirty-five year old Chateaux Margaux for their pleasure. The Baccarat crystal gleamed, reflecting the hundreds of tiny lights that illuminated the pouring table. Beth relaxed into the well-worn leather couch, patting the seat beside her as Josef brought her wine. She'd learned her lessons well, swirling the glass, before inhaling, then sipping the wine. "This is delicious, Josef," she said, lying back into his welcoming arms.

"You're delicious. This is just great wine."

She purred her contentment, the wine and Josef's strong arms doing much to calm her anxieties. "Are there any snacks?"

"I know there's cheese, and fruit, I'll get some for you."

"Don't you move, I'm not that hungry. I feel too good, just like this. Can I ask you something?"

He nodded, hoping this was not round three of needless insecurity. "Anything."

"Do you ever want to just drink me for nourishment, you know, like your freshies?"

A loaded question; but one that held an easy, honest answer. "No, it never crossed my mind. Do you think of me the same way you do breakfast?"

"Of course not."

"Although, the way you attacked breakfast this morning….I digress. Not that I've never had a desire for just a little sip, just to taste your sweetness, like a kiss. But no, I've never wanted you for physical sustenance."

Reaching her arms behind her to caress the back of his neck, she asked, "Would you like to kiss me now?"

He smiled, setting down his glass and nipping softly at her offered wrist. "Maybe just a taste…"

She felt his teeth sink tenderly into her skin, felt the slow, sweet movement of his fangs, and too soon felt his tongue slowly licking the remains of the drop he taken from her. She cuddled closer, relishing the subtle feelings coursing through her. So it wasn't just sex he could make her feel with his bite, it was something much deeper. Turning to him, she asked "I love you, do you know that?" and pressed her mouth softly against his.

"Surprisingly, I never get bored hearing it. Would you mind leaving a recording?" He was so happy, the feel of her body against his…_ Why dance around this any longer?_ He kissed back, deeply, his passion flaring at her closeness, the unbearably delicious scent of her, already bleeding, just too overwhelming to ignore any longer. He felt her body relax, felt her heart begin to race, felt her hands move across his shoulder, knead his neck, her legs part in invitation…

"Josef, no, not now, I can't."

"Apparently you can." He nipped at her neck and a little squeal of pleasure escape her lips. It was all the encouragement he needed, and her kissed her deeply, caressing her face with tender hands, allowing her quickening heartbeat to guide him. He felt her resistance weakening as his hands moved across her breasts on their way to the small of her back, pressing her close against the growing evidence of his desire.

She was torn between desire and discomfort, she wanted him as she always did, but made one last effort to dissuade herself. "Josef, we really can't," she panted.

"Oh yes, we really can." His mouth covered her nipple, nipping firmly through the cloth of her shirt, making her tremble beneath him. "Vampire. I've known why you think we can't all day." He kissed her ears, then whispered, "I reiterate; vampire. I think you are desirable every single day of the month. Let me show you."

Her clothes were tatters on the floor before she could react; his face looking at her from between her legs before she realized he'd moved. She struggled against him, uncomfortable and ashamed. "My beautiful Beth," he whispered against the thigh he caressed with his fingers and lips. "I love how soft your skin is here," he said, tapping lightly on the inside of one knee with his fingers, simultaneously scraping lightly at the other with his teeth. Feeling her resistance weaken, he worked his way slowly toward her center, alternately loving one thigh, then the other. "And here, I love the hollows at the top of your thighs." He reached to press her legs closed around his face. "See? A perfect fit, your body was made for me." He heard her moan, finally felt her hands slide into his hair, massaging his scalp with trembling fingers. He parted her thighs once again, poised to bury his face in the slick wetness he'd felt again his cheek. "My precious Beth." He looked up, into her still wary eyes, adding, "There is absolutely nothing about you that I don't love," and began licking lazy circles around the core of her, reigning in his own desire until she forgot everything but her pleasure. He worked until he felt her pressing his head closer, felt her hips begin their instinctual thrusting motion, felt her body tense with desire rather than fear, before removing the barrier to his pleasure. He made an act of complete eroticism out of slowly extracting her tampon as if it were his deft fingers, then licked his tongue the length of her hot, quivering lips before burying it inside her, feeling her contract around it, hearing his name torn from her pleading lips.

"Josef, I need you inside me, please Josef, now," she begged. In a flurry of movement, he was naked, atop her and plunging deeply, looking at her with eyes flickering between human and vamp, his face slickly pink with her juices and blood. She could have avoided it, he hadn't made a move to kiss her, but as she felt another climax upon her, she pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him deeply, tasting herself on his face, in his mouth and underneath it all tasting his excitement. He broke free from her mouth, to cry out her name as he surged inside her, biting into her flesh as he came.

He lay petting her, cupping her sex with gently stroking fingers, his ear directly over her beating heart, listening to it calm. Even her heartbeat seemed in rhythm with something inside him, something heretofore unknown.

She held his head against her heart, disbelieving what she felt, new, powerful and so glad to be a woman, so strengthened in his unconditional love. "Hey you," she whispered, and he looked at her with a smile so dazzling she melted in its warmth. "I hope there's a blanket or something around here, I am so not walking half naked through the house." Reluctantly he rose, searching for something, finally settling on his shirt which lay discarded on the floor.

"This should work," he said, draping it over her. "Or I could just carry you again. I'm rather enjoying being your chosen form of transport."

"Oh, you're definitely my chosen form of transport," she teased, "I haven't ever spent so much time in utter bliss."

_Okay, I have completely lost my mind_, Beth thought as she took one last look in the mirror. Oh, she knew exactly why she's fashioned her hair into one long braid hanging down her back, exposing her neck for his enjoyment. And she was sure that Josef would love the bright blue merry-widow, the thin bands at the top barely covering her nipples, and when she moved a certain way, exposing pink half-moons that she knew would drive him to distraction. What she couldn't figure was why she was wearing the kilt, but she was already ten minutes late to dinner and he'd already threatened to "come up there and carry you downstairs." So she closed the door behind her, hoping she wasn't delusional.

* * *

When she entered the kitchen, it was empty, Josef nowhere to be found. Lisa came up through the passage to the wine cellar, and told her Josef was waiting there for her. She seemed tired, and Beth knew Josef had already taken care of his dining needs.

Josef sat at the table, hoping everything would not completely cold when Beth decided to grace him with her presence. He knew he had to shake the attitude, but damn it, they were down to sixteen hours and some of those would have to be allocated to sleep. Andrew was sending the copter to pick them up at ten and take them to the airport in Glasgow for her noon flight back to L.A., back to Mick. Hearing the click of her heels against the stone stairs, he looked up to watch her enter the room. And lost his power of speech at the sight of her. She could not know what that plaid meant to him.

"You hate it, don't you? Give me a minute, I'll go change." _Fool_, she thought. _He thinks you look like a fool_. She turned to run away, but he was across the room, grabbing her arm, before she could move. "I'm sorry, Josef. I don't know why I thought you'd like this…"

"I don't know why, either," he said, staring at her in what looked like wonder. "But you couldn't look more perfect unless you were naked." He took her hand and turned her around, thinking that this sealed it, she _was_ his, and she knew it, consciously or not. "Come and eat." He held her chair and sat quietly while she took delicate bites of the fresh salmon he'd placed in front of her.

It was beginning to unnerve her, his perfect stillness, as she tucked into the hearty beef stew that was her main course. She leaned forward, hoping that teasing him might bring some verbal response, wanting to hear something other than the sound of her chewing and the splash of the wine as he refilled her glass. Still nothing but his admiring gaze. "Josef, what did I do? You haven't said a word to me all though dinner. A girl could get the impression that her date didn't think she was much of a conversationalist."

"I'm sorry. I got you the sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Would you care for some port?" He poured them each a glass, and once again fell silent as she forked a bite of the sweet, rich cake into her mouth.

"Delicious," she said, taking one more bite. "But I'm full." He rose, taking her hand to lead her to the couch, where he sat a fair distance away from her, but did not let go his grasp on her hand.

"I was born here in Scotland. Cinaed Williamson, at your service." He bowed deeply.

"I've never heard that name before. It's an interesting one, and very poetic. Cinaed," she repeated, loving the feeling of the word in her mouth.

"It's an ancient name, hardly anyone has used for a couple of centuries. It means 'born of fire', which my parents always claimed I was. I haven't thought of my birth name in decades." With a faraway look in his eyes, he asked, "What made you choose that plaid?"

She wondered at his strange pronunciation, 'plade', but answered, "I can't say. I just knew you'd like it."

"It's my very favorite. Cinaed Williamson of the Clan Gunn, my dear; you're wearing my Clan tartan." With that, he raised her hand to his lips, pressing moistened lips to each knuckle; giving each the attention another man might give a more traditional erogenous zone. He was going to make love to every square inch of her, on the off chance that the memory would have to last for the rest of his existence.

* * *

The pads of her fingers tingling with sensation, she was not sure she was happy that the discovery of them as a place of erotic pleasure perfectly coincided with her leaving for L.A. in a few hours. However, it did not make her wish to stop him. Not when he was teasing the crook of her arm with teeth and tongue. Definitely not then.

"My room or mine?" she murmured, as it seemed the only possibility, though there was no freezer in either bedroom she'd seen.

"Is that an open invitation?" he asked, looking up into her hooded eyes as his lips climbed to her shoulder.

"Smart aleck." Her hands traveled to his neck, loosening his tie, unbuttoning his shirt. She'd learned enough of his body to know he liked his neck petted and stroked as she kissed him, and that mouth of his had just better be on its way up to hers, she was so ready for the union of their lips. A moment later it happened, the mind-meld that occurred each time they kissed, nipples tingling and tightening, blood rushing to fill her pelvis. He shifted closer, the movement causing her top to shift.

"Umm, nipple," he murmured, switching his attention to it, scraping his teeth across the hard bud before encircling it with his lips, drawing a soft moan as he suckled it into his mouth, smiling up into her watching eyes. He loved that she liked to watch him pleasure her, she'd concentrate so hard no matter what he was doing, then throw her head back, mouth open in a mewl or a moan or best of all his name, flung from her lips like an offering, it drove him crazy, he'd get harder than he thought he'd ever been every single time. She was like no other woman, and it was getting harder and harder not to wish she were a vampire. He could only imagine what they'd feel, what she'd do….

"Josef, I'm-"

"Uncomfortable." He stood, looking down at her. She looked at him questioningly, wondering why he offered no assistance. "Just deciding whether to throw you over my shoulder like a good Clansman conquering his woman, or cradling you in my arms so I can see your eyes as I carry you upstairs…" He held out his hands to help her up, and then threw her over his shoulder. "Your beautiful behind wins this time, sweetheart," he said, running his free hand up her legs, kneading her pliant, round bottom as he carried her up the tunnel to the kitchen.

* * *

Lisa was enjoying a quiet moment, having some tea and ginger biscuits, when the door to the wine cellar burst open. Without thinking, she said, "Now there's something you don't see every day."

Josef stopped, but Beth kept up her shrieking and pounding at his back, all the while trying with one hand to pull her kilt down and push his hand away.

"Lisa, go get my phone, please." She obeyed, retrieving it from the counter where he'd dropped it before going downstairs.

Beth pounded harder, making him laugh, and shrieked "Josef, you're not going to make a phone call."

"Nope. Lisa's going to take a picture. She's absolutely right, you _don't_ see this every day."

"Put me down this instant!" She was trying to kick her way out, but her efforts were useless. "Josef, I swear I'll stake you, you can't hold me up here forever."

"Want to bet?" He asked, posing for Lisa as she snapped away. "Thanks Lisa. I trust the refrigerators are well-stocked?" She nodded, and he continued through the house feeling Beth's fury, but sure he'd erase that as soon as he had her alone.

* * *

He closed the bedroom door behind him, and turned the key in the lock before sliding her down the front of him, pressing her pelvis firmly against him so she would feel every inch of his excitement. But when he saw her eyes burning, it was not with the fire he loved to be consumed by, but anger so intense it was palpable. "I'm sorry, Beth. I just wanted a remembrance of us having fun," he said contritely.

It was their last night, it was his first screw-up and she just couldn't let her annoyance at such a small thing keep them apart tonight. Taking a deep breath, she let her anger drain away. Even if all they did was cuddle, she was not going to let this night pass in anger and regret. "Take off your clothes and ask again. You've got a lot to make up for, and I find you much more persuasive naked," she smiled.

_Whew, close call._ That he could do. He shed his clothing slowly, watching her as she knelt at the edge of the bed, motioning with her index finger for him to come closer.

When he reached her, she ran both hands carefully over his chest. "You are such a beautiful man," she whispered, pressing her palms against his abdomen and letting her hands ride the perfectly sculpted muscles there as if they were waves. "Silk over iron," she said as her lips chose a spot just below his solar plexus to begin outlining each perfect muscle formation with her tongue.

He ran his hands over her shoulders, up her arms where she kneaded his sides, massaged the back of her neck as he let the feel of her plump mouth wash over him. Insanely good as it felt, he wanted her skin, too. "Your clothes," he said, "they're in our way."

She smiled up into his eyes, unbuttoning the kilt. He took it, laying it across the fainting couch with tender care, making certain the knife-edged pleats were undisturbed. Running his hands across the silk charmeuse that covered most of her middle, he said, "You look beautiful in this, but I'm afraid not half so beautiful as you do without it," and helped her turn her back to him so that he might plant soft, moist kisses down her spine as he slowly unhooked the lingerie. Sliding the tiny thong down to her knees, he whispered, "Lie down." She did, turning to face him as he slid them off her legs. Her shoes were last, and he kissed the arches of her feet as he removed each one and tossed it aside.

Gone were all thoughts of sudden urges and conquering his woman. All he wanted, all that mattered in his universe was that tonight they would savor each other, and he lay on his side next to her, turning her to face him.

They lay that way, caressing each other with eager hands, kissing only briefly, neither wanting to break the eye contact that created its own force between them. Both were in the thrall of that power, neither willing to do anything to break the veil of magic that encircled them. Finally, overwhelmed with emotion, their bodies urging them together, Josef removed and cast aside the barrier to their pleasure and climbed atop her, crying out as he slid into her, feeling her stretch to accommodate him, and finally his lips came down on hers, and it felt complete, the circle their bodies made a planet unto itself. When they climaxed it was together, screams of ecstasy smothered between their lips. The sensation of his fangs sliding into her neck brought tears streaming from her eyes, tears that did not stop as he tried in vain to kiss them away, until he saw her smile, lush with feeling, and then the tears were summer rain on his skin, a shower of emotion he wanted to drown in. They lay pressed as closely as was possible, for as long as they could, until Beth felt his craving for blood, no doubt abetted by the scent of hers spreading across the fine white sheets. "Go and drink, my love. I need to freshen up."

"No you don't." He did not want to let her go; he was drowning in his sense of completion and could not bear the thought of his skin apart from hers.

"Josef, it's okay, we'll have a thousand nights like this." She covered his face with a rain of kisses before sliding off the bed.

His emotions overwhelmed him; she'd said there was more, that this was not the end, but rather the glorious beginning as he heard the sound of running water in the next room.

* * *

He wrapped her in warm gown of softest cashmere and swept her into his arms. "Where are you taking me?" she asked, not really caring at all, glad to be held against him glad that she was not alone in her bed.

"I want to spend the night with you," he answered.

Snuggling closer against him, she said, "So do I, but Josef, I can't sleep in a freezer."

"I think maybe you can," he said as he opened the door to the cold room. In the center stood a bed, not very large, but right against it, just an inch lower, a slab of beautiful Brazilian marble, veined with red. He held her while he pulled down the covers, then laid her into the soft warmth, heat radiating from beneath the velvety soft sheets, and covered her with the fluffy warm comforter. He removed his robe, and lay on the cold marble beside her.

"Are you comfortable? Warm enough?" he asked, concern and hope equal partners on his face.

"This is perfect Josef," she answered, snuggling as close to him as she could, and closing her eyes with as sigh as she felt his arm around her, certain he wore the same contented smile as she.

Thanks to everyone for their kind reviews. Fingers crossed, I hope you keep them coming!


	6. Chapter 6

Gratitude to Laurelinthepale for helping me through another one.

Chapter 6

A loud chime rang in the darkness, and moments later, perimeter lights slowly brightened to illuminate the room. Though wrapped in warmth, and with Josef right beside her, Beth's first thought was that her nose felt awfully cold. Slipping her hand from under the covers, she discovered that it was, in fact, freezing. A small price to pay, and a matter of doing nothing more than burying her face further under the covers. But the chimes and light meant she was supposed to get up and go home. She would not let herself cry.

"Good morning, beautiful, sleep well?" Josef's voice wrapped around her like a cocoon, and warmed her more than the cashmere bedding ever could.

Turning to face him, blinking sleepy eyes, she said "Oh yes. Josef, spending the night with you was the very best part of this whole trip." She took his face in her hands, kissing him sweetly, right on his nose.

"Did the cold affect your vision? You missed," he said, reaching to kiss her mouth, quietly content with her words. "Your nose is freezing! Let's get you out of here." Rising and throwing on his robe, he wrapped her in the covers and carried her out to the wine cellar before setting her down on the worn leather couch she liked so well.

Pouting, she said, "You know, I think I've allowed you to spoil me too much. I don't even want to walk anymore."

"I would be honored to act as your personal transportation vehicle, but you're going to L.A. However, I will be more than happy to carry you up to your bedroom, madam. But you'll have to walk down to breakfast all by yourself."

"Could I eat here? I love those little lights…"

"Of course. Breakfast in the wine cellar it is. A woman after my own heart," he said as he scooped her into his arms and carried her to her bedroom.

* * *

Her bags were packed, but she was not ready to go. She didn't even want to face breakfast, knowing that when the last piece of toast had been consumed, she would be leaving Scotland, leaving Josef. Scotland she could reluctantly live without; Josef was quite another story. As she walked the stairs to the kitchen, she wondered how she'd ever be happy without him.

* * *

He waited in the wine cellar, stalking cat-like about the room, unable to sit and wait patiently. The package in his pocket mocked him, and he was racked with doubt. He heard her enter the passageway, and schooled his face into its practiced neutrality as she entered the room.

"Breakfast is served," he said, holding her chair.

She thought she wasn't feeling all that hungry, but the smell of both the sweet muffins and the savory eggs and sausages put an end to that notion immediately. She ate quickly, not speaking, but smiling at him through every morsel. "Delicious," she said, "I'm going to hate going back to Toaster Strudels after this."

He smiled, not knowing exactly what toaster strudels were but assuming they were not as tasty as the fare she had just consumed. "Let's sit over here for a minute." He led her to the couch, fussing as she sat, arranging pillows, inquiring as to her comfort.

"Josef, sit, relax, I've never seen you like this." She hoped he was at least as unhappy as she was that soon they'd be parted, but this was so out of character…

He did not sit, but knelt before her, taking her hand in his. "I love you, Beth. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He slid a ring onto her finger, and waited expectantly for her answer.

She looked at him, then at the most unusual, beautiful ring she'd ever seen, an enormous, round-cut ruby, resting on a circle of diamonds visible only when looking into the depths of the stone. Taking his hands, she shook her head. "Josef, sit beside me."

He felt as if his heart had just stopped beating, as if he were losing his life all over again. She had said no. Hell, she hadn't even said it, just shaken her head. He'd been a fool, she was going back to Mick. He was the one she wanted to marry.

"I've given a lot of thought to you and me, and I had quite an enlightening talk with Lucy."

"What did she do? What did she say? Did she tell you not to marry me?" He'd have her head, and Andrew's, friendship be damned. If Lucy was the reason Beth refused him, she'd seen her last day.

"No, Josef, Lucy was incredibly protective of you, and warned me not to break your heart."

"Sound advice," he said bitterly. "Too bad it wasn't in your heart to take it."

"She made me think about marriage, and about something much more important to me. I don't want to give you something as hollow as a promise, marriages end all the time, and I can't give you what I'd love to, a baby born of you and me. So I want to give you the most precious thing any human has. I think I could love you forever, Josef. I want to give you my life. I want you to be my sire." She blew out the rest of her breath, relaxing, she'd finally told him how she felt, and what she wanted for her future.

Try though he might, he was unable to process what she was saying. She was looking at him expectantly, and through the fog of his misery, it finally processed; she'd said she wanted his baby, she'd said she would love him forever.

"I'm not ready yet; I want a couple of more years of sunrises, I want you to be sure you really do want me forever. Because I promise, you'll have to burn me or take my head to get rid of me once you turn me. And after that, who knows? If you think we could possibly be closer, ask me again. Or I'll get on one knee and ask you. So what do you think? Will you consider my proposal?"

_Would he consider it?_ It had been his only real desire, to have her as his vampire, since the night she had asked him to kill Foster. Now it would be reality, Beth echoing his own craving to stand beside her forever. "Yeah, okay, if you insist. Did you have a particular date in mind? If not, I'll have Lisa pencil you in for an autumn turning, say, November, 2010?"

She flung herself at him, laughing, kissing, and hugging him, full of joy. "I'm really going to hate getting on that plane," she said, settling seductively into his lap. "Won't you come home with me?"

He held her around her hips, rocking her slightly against him. "No. You still have to spend some time alone with Mick. I know you love him, too. You need time to decide what relationship you two will have and I need to give some thought to what relationship I can live with you two having. And I need to do some work, or we'll be living in an almshouse in a hundred years or so."

"I'm sure it will be an almshouse that Kostan Industries funds," she laughed. "Besides, I don't care if we live in a cave. Come back home with me, Josef. I really don't want to spend a day without you." She bit him hard, right where his jaw met his neck. He groaned, wanting to take her right there, to seal their promise, to ameliorate the loneliness he had felt creeping upon him like kudzu all morning.

"I won't be more than a month, I promise. You can come over on weekends. And if that new boss of yours has a problem with that, I will officially declare you a kept woman. Or you could work for me. I have investigative people in every office. I know you're really good, and, ask any of my employees, I offer one of the best compensation packages on earth." Nipping at her neck, he added, "And I'd be the one getting all the really good fringe benefits."

* * *

Moments later, while happily drowning in her loving eyes, Josef heard the helicopter in the distance. "We have to go," he said sadly, rising to his feet and lifting her with him. "There are a couple of papers you need to sign, and then we're off." He lifted her one last time, carrying her up to the kitchen.

"Papers?" she asked, not sure she even wanted to know. "A turning pre-nup? No, it couldn't be, you didn't know I was going to ask. Oh I know, you want me to sign a release for the photos Lisa took. Well, I won't."

He put her down in the kitchen, where Lisa and a lawyer he introduced as Keith MacTavish stood waiting for them, legal-sized documents and a very nice pen waiting on the kitchen table. Andrew was calling hello form the front of the house, and Josef did not look pleased; he truly hadn't expected him, and just wanted to be alone with Beth. "Beth, trust me, sign your name, we really have to go."

She took the leap of faith, signing wherever MacTavish pointed. Josef was smiling, so whatever it was she'd signed her name to, it was probably a good thing.

"Josef, Beth, let's go," Andrew bellowed, his brogue more pronounced, or maybe just more obvious at that decibel level.

"Keep it in your kilt Andrew, we're coming," Josef answered as they said their goodbyes to Lisa.

Beth stopped him momentarily, putting the ring he'd given her into his hand. He looked crushed, not her intention, and she said quickly, "Josef, I couldn't love it, or you, more, but you offered it with a marriage proposal and I declined your very wonderful offer."

Smiling, he dropped to one knee and placed it on her hand again, asking, "Beth, will you be my vampire?"

Giggling, she answered, "Oh yes," bidding him rise and kissing him deeply, just as Andrew came into the room.

"I'd tell you two to get a room, but there's no time. You can snog all you want in the copter, but if you intend to get to the States today, we need to leave, now."

_Hadn't Andrew just said I could snog her senseless in the copter_? Josef wondered. Instead, Lucy was there, oohing and ahhing over what she was sure was an engagement ring, and it was, but not of the type she assumed. If she didn't shut up and let them have at least some quiet together, he'd stake her until they reached Glasgow, Josef thought. But Beth held his hand tightly as Lucy chattered on, and the excitement in Beth's eyes as she spoke of him lovingly, albeit as if he were not there, almost made it okay. Almost.

"Lucy, my love, can we get just a moment of silence? Beth might like to inject a word, and I get the distinct impression that Josef is looking about for something to stake you with," Andrew finally intervened.

Lucy, looking properly contrite, said, "I am sorry, you probably didn't even expect me, but I just had to see what happened, and that is the most exquisite ring, I knew that the two of you belonged together and I-"

"Darling? Enough," Andrew said, and Lucy fell silent, smiling and leaning against her beloved husband, never noticing the thumbs-up that Josef gave him.

* * *

The walk to the plane was only slightly less morbid than the Bataan Death March. Josef clung to Beth's hand as they crossed the tarmac, and her tears mixed with the rain that had begun to fall just as the helicopter landed. He saw her up the stairs and into the plane, greeting the pilot and checking all the mechanical reports himself. If anything happened to her, there would be 

absolutely no reason to go on. His mood spiraled further downward as he realized that his best friend waited eight thousand miles away in Los Angeles, almost certainly feeling exactly the same way. Mick's heartbreak couldn't be helped. Beth was his now, and whether she slept with Mick, whether she loved him, whether she married him was of no consequence. She wanted to be with _him_, now, a hundred years from now, five hundred, always.

Beth could not stop the tears flowing freely down her sad face. She had to go home, she had to work, to live her life, to see Mick and somehow explain all that had happened. But she wanted Josef at her side through every step, and that would not be. It would be a very long flight.

"Here, don't forget this," Josef said, handing her the envelope he'd carried from the house.

"What's this?" she sniffled, without caring to open it.

"It's the deed to the house on Loch Awe. I did mention that it was yours, did I not?"

"Josef, I thought…so that's what I signed?" He nodded, and she smiled. "Good. Then as soon as I get home, I'll call the local police and have you removed, and you'll come to L.A. I can do that, right?"

He caressed her shoulders, watching the tears track down her face even though she smiled. "You could, but I'd be disappointed. I really need to be away from L.A., and Scotland really is my homeland." _But you're my home, my love_, he thought. Hoping to hide the tears he felt welling in his own eyes, he held her tightly to him.

Beth felt his tears leak onto her face, and molded her mouth against his, sucking his tongue deeply into her, wanting her heat to fuse them, allowing no possibility of further goodbyes. "How long until we have to take off?" She whimpered.

Glancing at his watch, he said, "Twenty minutes. But the door will have to close in ten."

She smiled broadly into the face she loved so well, and asked, "So, want to fuck?"

_That's my girl_, he thought, and throwing his head back in sheer pleasure, he laughed as kissed her, speeding them toward the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Beth stared through the window, smiling and waving, unable to see Josef through the pouring rain, but feeling he was still there, watching her as the plane taxied toward the runway. She felt so tired, but knew she would get little peace; Josef would certainly have made sure that the flight attendants would be stuffing protein and liquids down her throat as soon as they'd reached altitude. Taking care of her, whether he was physically present or not. She nestled further into her seat, closing her eyes with a smile of contentment.

* * *

Josef watched until the plane disappeared through the clouds. He missed her from the moment the door to the plane had closed, even before, and thought that perhaps he would find a way to get to L.A. next weekend, even if only for a day. Charles was waiting to take him back to London, he simply could not live in that unfinished house, and he was anxious to get to work. For once, the money game he had played for centuries as both a challenge and a distraction had a real purpose; he would ensure Beth's future comfort, not merely fulfill his own desire to best everyone else at the game. He'd need all the money he could get his hands on if he wanted to give her the gift she'd planted in his mind just a few hours ago; he'd need the finest scientific minds on earth, state-of-the-art laboratories. And he would have to find Coralline and Lance; he needed their help if he wanted to be human long enough to erase his regret. If she wanted his baby, he needed the cure.

Thanks for all the kind reviews. I've appreciated every one. "Every Good Boy Deserves Favor" is on its way, if you're curious about L.A. ...


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